OF 


' 


IV, 


WILLIS  THE  PILOT, 


!|  Sequel  to  %  Stoiss  Jfanulj 


OR, 


ADVENTURES  OF  AN  EMIGRANT  FAMILY 


WIIECKKD  ON  AN  UNKNOWN  COAST  OF  THE  PACIFIC  OCEAN. 


EtTKBSPEBSID  WITH 

TALES,  INCIDENTS  OF  TRAVEL,  AND  ILLUSTRATIONS  OF 
NATURAL  HISTORY. 


BOSTON: 


SUCCESSORS    TO 

PHILLIPS,    SAMPSON    AND    COMPANY 


LITHOTTPED     B  T     COWLES     AND     COMPANY 

At  the  Office  of  the  American  Stereotype  Compauy, 

P.'lOiXIX      BL'ILDINO.     BOSTON. 


ILLUSTRATED   BT    FILBCR.N    Ji    MAU.OBT 


Annex 
ft 


PREFACE. 


THE  love  of  adventure  that  characterises  the  youth  of 
the  present  day,  and  the  growing  tendency  of  the  surplus 
European  population  to  seek  abroad  the  comforts  that  are 
often  denied  at  home,  gives  absorbing  interest  to  the 
narratives  of  old  colonists  and  settlers  in  the  wonderful 
regions  of  the  New  World.  Accordingly,  the  work 
known  as  the  Swiss  Family  Robinson  has  long  enjoyed  a 
well-merited  popularity,  and  has  been  perused  by  a  multi- 
tude of  readers,  young  and  old,  with  profit  as  well  as 
pleasure. 

A  Swiss  clergyman  resolved  to  better  his  fortune  by 
emigration.  In  furtherance  of  this  resolution,  he  embarked 
with  his  wife  and  four  sons  —  the  latter  ranging  from  eight 
to  fifteen  years  of  age  —  for  one  of  the  newly-discovered 
islands  in  the  Pacific  Ocean.  As  far  as  the  coast  of  New 
Guinea  the  voyage  had  been  favorable,  but  here  a  violent 
storm  arose,  which  drove  the  ill-fated  vessel  out  of  its 
course,  and  finally  cast  it  a  wreck  upon  an  unknown  coast. 
The  family  succeeded  in  extricating  themselves  from  the 
stranded  ship,  and  landed  safely  on  shore ;  but  the 
remaining  passengers  and  crew  all  perished.  For  many 
years  these  six  individuals  struggled  alone  against  a 
variety  of  trials  and  privations,  till  at  length  another  storm 


IV  rttEFACK. 

brought  the  English  despatch-boat  Nelson  within  reach  of 
their  signals.  Such  is  a  brief  outline  of  the  events 
recorded  in  the  Swiss  Family  Robinson. 

The  present  volume  is  virtually  a  continuation  of  this 
narrative.  The  careers  of  the  four  sons —  Frank,  Ernest, 
Fritz,  and  Jack  —  are  taken  up  where  the  preceding  chron- 
icler left  them  off.  The  subsequent  adventures  of  there 
four  young  men,  by  flood  and  field,  are  faithfully  detailed. 
With  these  particulars  are  mingled  the  experiences  of 
another  interesting  family  that  afterwards  became  dwellers 
in  the  same  territory ;  as  are  also  the  sayings  and  doings 
of  a  weather-beaten  sailor  —  Willis  the  Pilot. 

The  scene  is  laid  chiefly  in  the  South  Seas,  and  the 
narrative  illustrates  the  geography  and  ethnology  of  that 
section  of  the  Far- West.  The  difficulties,  dangers,  and 
hardships  to  be  encountered  in  founding  a  new  colony  are 
truthfully  set  forth,  whilst  it  is  shown  how  readily  these 
are  overcome  by  perseverance  and  intelligent  labor.  It 
will  be  seen  that  a  liberal  education  has  its  uses,  even 
under  circumstances  the  least  likely  to  foster  the  social 
amenities,  and  that,  too,  not  only  as  regards  the  mental 
well-being  of  its  possessors,  but  also  as  regards  augmenting 
their  material  comforts. 

In  the  Swiss  FitmJy  Robinson  life  resources  of  Natural 
History  have  been  largely,  and  perhaps  somewhat  freely, 
drawn  upon.  This  branch  of  knowledge  has,  therefore, 
been  left  throughout  the  present  volume  comparatively 
untouched.  Nevertheless,  as  it  is  the  aim  of  the  narrator 
to  combine  instruction  with  amusement,  the  more  ele- 
mentary phenomena  of  the  Physical  Sciences  have  been 
blended  with  the  current  of  the  story  —  thus  garnishing, 
as  it  were,  the  dry,  hard  facts  of  Owen,  Liebig,  and  Arago, 
with  the  more  attractive  groupings  of  life  and  action. 


PREFACE.  V 

The  reader  has,  consequently,  in  hand  a  melange  of  the 
useful  and  agreeable  —  a  little  for  the  grave  and  a  little  for 
the  gay  —  so  that,  should  our  endeavors  to  impart  in- 
struction prove  unavailing,  en  revanche  we  may,  perhaps, 
be  more  successful  in  our  efforts  to  amuse. 
1* 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER  I. 

Pagt 

The  Colony — Reflections  on  the  Past  —  Ideas  of  Willis  the 
Pilot— Sophia  Wolston 13 

CHAPTER  H. 

To  what  extent  Willis  the  Pilot  had  Ideas  on  certain  Subjects 

—  The  Knights  of  the  Ocean 23 

CHAPTER  III. 

Wherein  Willis  the  Pilot  proves  "  Irrefragably "  that 
Epheraerides  die  of  Consumption  and  Home-Sickness  — 
The  Canoe  and  its  Young  ones  —  The  Search  after  the 
Sloop  —  Found  —  The  Sword-Fish — -Floating  Atoms  — 
Admiral  Socrates .  .  29 

CHAPTER  IV. 

A  Landscape  —  Sad  Houses  and  Smiling  Houses  —  Polite- 
ness in  China  —  Eight  Soups  at  Dessert  —  Wind  Mer- 
chants—  Another  Idea  of  the  Pilot's  —  Susan,  vice  Sophia. . .  .43 

CHAPTER   V. 

Allotment  of  Quarters  —  A  Horse  Marine  —  Travelling 
Plants  —  Change  of  Dynasty  in  England  —  A  Woman's 
Kingdom  —  Sheep  converted  into  Chops  —  Resurrection 
of  the  Fried  Fish  —  A  Secret 53 

CHAPTER  VI. 

The  Queen's  Doll  —  Rockhouse  to  Falcon's  Nest  —  The 
Wind  —  Grasses  —  Admiral  Homer  —  The  Three  Frogs 

—  Oat  Jelly  —  Esquimaux  Astronomy  —  An  Unknown 61 


VIII  COXTKXTS. 

CHAPTER   VII. 

Paje 

The  Search  for  the  Unknown  —  Three  Fleets  on  Dry  Land 
— The  Indiscretions  of  a  Sugar  Cane  —  Larboard  and 
Starboard  —  The  supposed  Sensibility  of  Plants  —  The 
Fly-trap  —  Vendetta  —  Root  and  Germ  —  Mine  and 
Countermine  —  The  Polypi  —  Oviparous  and  Viviparous 

—  A  Quid  pro  Quo 77 

CHAPTER  VIII. 

Inhabitant  of  the  Moon,  Anthropophagian  or  Hobgoblin  ?  — 
The  Lacedemonian  Stew  of  Madame  Dacicr —  Utile  Dulci 

—  Tete-a-tete   between    Willis   and    his    Pipe — Tobacco 
Tersus    Birch  —  Is    it    for    Eating?  —  Mosquitoes  —  The        „ 
Alarm  —  Toby  —  The  Nocturnal  Expedition  —  We've  got 

him 88 

CHAPTER  IX. 

The  Chimpan/.ee  —  Imperfect  Negro,  or  Perfect  Ape  —  Tho 
Harmonies  of  Nature  —  A  Handful  of  Paws  —  A  Stone 
Skin  —  Seventeen  Spectacles  on  one  Nose — Animalculae 

—  Pelion  on  Ossa  —  Ptolemy  —  Copernicus  to  Galileo  — 
Metaphysics  and  Cosmogonies  —  A  live  Tiger 97 

CHAPTER   X. 

The  Pioneers  —  Excursion  to  Coromandel — Hindoo  Fancies 

—  A  Caged  Hunter  —  Louis   XI.  and  Cardinal  Balue  — 
A  Furlong  of  News  —  Carnage  —  The  Baronet  and  his 
seventeen  Tigers  —  Fifty-four  feet  of  Celebrity  —  Sterne's 
Window  —  Promenade  of  the    Consciences — Emulation 

and  Vanity 103 

CHAPTER  XI. 

On  the  Watch  — Fecundity  of  Plants  and  Animals  —  Latest 
News  from  the  Moon  —  A  Death-Knell  every  Second  — 
The  Inconveniences  of  being  too  near  the  Sun  —  Narcotics 

—  Willis    contralto  —  Hunting    turned     upside    down  — 
Electric  Clouds  —  Partialities  of   Lightning — Bells   and 
Bellringers  —  Conducting    Rods  —  The     Return  —  The 
Two  Sisters —  Toby  becomes  a  Dragoman 121 

CHAPTER    XII. 

Man  proposes,  but  God  disposes  —  The  Choice  of  a  Profes- 
sion —  Conqueror  —  Orator —  Astronomer  —  Composer — 
Painter  —  Poet — Village  Curate  —  The  Kafirs  —  Occupa- 
tions of  Women  — The  Alpha  and  Omega  of  the  Sea  ].">4 


CONTENTS.  IX 

CHAPTEE   XIII. 

?*C* 

Herbert  and  Cecilia  —  The  little  Angels  —  A  Catastrophe— 
The  Departure  —  Marriage  of  the  Doge  with  the  Adriatic 

—  Sovereigns  of  the  Sea  —  Dante  and  Beatrix — Eleonora 
and    Tasso  —  Laura  and   Petrarch  —  The  Return  —  Sur- 
prises—  What  one  finds  in  Turbots  —  A  Horror — The 
Price  of  Crime  —  Ballooning  —  Philipson  and  the  Cholera 

—  A  Metamorphosis  —  Adventure  of  the   Chimpanzee  — 

Are  you  Kich  1 150 

CHAPTER  XIV. 

The  Tears  of  Childhood  and  Rain  of  the  Ttopics  —  Charles' 
Wain  —  Voluntary  Enlistment  —  A  Likeness  Guaranteed 

—  The  World  at  Peace  —  Alas,  poor  Mary  !  —  The  same 
Breath  for  two  Beings  —  The  first  Pillow  —  The  Logic  of 
the  Heart  —  How  Fritz  supported    Grief — A  Grain  of 
Sand  and  the  Himalaya  167 

CHAPTER  XV. 

God's  Government  —  King  Stanislaus  —  The  Dauphin  son 
of  Louis  XV.  —  The  shortest  Road  —  New  Year's  Day  — 
A  Miracle  —  Clever  Animals  —  The  Calendar  —  Mr.  Julius 
Csesar  and  Pope  Gregory  XIII.  —  How  the  day  after  the 
4th  of  October  was  the  15th  —  Olympiads  —  Lustres  — 
The  Hegira — A  Horse  made  Consul  —  Jack's  Dream 177 

CHAPTER   XVI. 

Separation  —  Guelphs  and  Ghibelines  —  Montagues  and 
Capulets  —  Sadness  —  The  Reunion  —  Jocko  and  his 
Education  —  The  Entertainments  of  a  King  —  The  Mules 
of  Nero  and  the  Asses  of  Poppaea  —  Hercules  and  Achilles 

—  Liberty  and'  Equality — Semiramis  and   Elizabeth  — 
Christianity  and  the  Religion  of  Zoroaster  —  The  Willis- 
onian  Method  —  Moral  Discipline  versus  Birch 19-4 

CHAPTER  XVII. 

Where  there's  a  Will  there's  a  Way  —  Mucius  Scavola— 
What's  to  be  done?  —  Brutus  Torquatus  and  Peter  the 
Great  —  Australia,  Botany  Bay,  and  the  Flying  Dutchman 

—  New  Guinea  and  the  Buccaneer  —  Vancouver's  Island 

—  White    Skins  —  Danger    of   Landing    on  a  Wave  — 
Hanged  or  Drowned  —  Route  to  Happiness  —  Omens 206 

CHAPTER  XVIH. 

Bacon  and  Biscuit  — Let  Sleeping  Dogs  Lie — The  Paternal 
Benediction  —  An  Apparition  —  A.  Mother  not  easily  de- 


CONTENTS. 


ceived  —  The  Adieu  —  The    Emperor    Constantine  — 
hoc  signo  vmces  —  The  Sailor's  Postscript  —  Caesar  and 
his  Fortunes  —  Kecollections  —  Mrs.  Becker  plucks  Stock- 
ings  and  Knits   Ortolans  —  How  delightful  it  is   to  be 
Scolded  —  The  Bodies  vanish,  but  the  Souls  remain  ........  215 

CHAPTER  XIX. 

Eighteen  Hundred  and  Twelve  —  The  Mary  —  Count 
Ugolino  —  The  Sources  of  Rivers  —  The  Alps  demolished 

—  No  more  Pyrenees  —  The  First  Ship  —  Admiral   Noah 

—  Fleets  of  the  Israelites  —  The  Compass  —  Printing  — 
Gunpowder  —  Actium  and  Salamis  —  Dido  and  .Solus  — 
Steam  —  Don    Garay    and     Roger    Bacon  —  Melchthal, 
Furst,  and   William  Tell  —  Going  a-pleasuring  —  Upset 
versus  blown  up  —  A  Dead  Calm  —  The  Log  —  Willis's 
Archipelago  —  The  Island  of  Sophia  —  The  Bread  Fruit- 
tree  —  Natives  of  Polynesia  —  Striped  Trowsers  —  Abduc- 
tion of  Willis  —  Is  he  to  be  Roasted  or  Boiled  ?  —  When 

the  Wine  is  poured  out,  we  must  Drink  it  ..................  228 

CHAPTER  XX. 

Jupiter  Tonans  —  The  Thunders  of  the  Pilot  —  Worshippers 
of  the  Far  West  —  A  late  Breakfast  —  Rono  the  Great  — 
A  Polynesian  Legend  —  Manners  and  Customs  of  Oceanica 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Tamaidi  —  Regal  Pomp  —  Elbow  Room  — 
Katzenmusik  —  Queen  Tonico  and  the  Shaving  Glass  — 
Consequences  of  a  Pinch  of  Snuff  —  Disgrace  of  the 
Great  Rono  —  Marius  —  Coriolanus  —  Hannibal  —  Alcibi- 
ades  —  Cimon  —  Aristides  —  A  Sop  for  the  Thirsty  —  Air 
something  else  besides  Oxygen  and  Hydrogen  —  Maryland 
and  Whitechapel  —  Half-way  up  the  Cordilleras  —  Human 
Machines  —  Star  of  the  Sea,  pray  for  us  !  ..........  ^  .....  248 

CHAPTER  XXI. 

Lying-to  —  Heart  and  Instinct  —  Spurrows  viewed  as  Con- 
sumers —  Migrations  —  Posting  a  Letter  in  the  Pacific  — 
Cannibals  —  Adventures  of  a  Locket  .....................  263 

CHAPTER  XXII. 

The  Utility  of  Adversity  —  An  Encounter—  The  Hoboken 
—Bill  alias  Bob  ........................................  271 

CHAPTER    XXIII. 

In  which  Willis  shows,  that  the  term  Press-gang  means 
•onwthing  else  besides  the  Gentlemen  of  the  Press  ..........  28  J 


CONTENTS.  XI 

CHAPTER    XXIV. 

Pag« 
Another  Idea  of  the  Pilot's  —  The  Boudeuse.. .  .295 

CHAPTER   XXV. 

Delhi  —  William  of  Normandy  and  Kin<j  John  —  Isabella  of 
Bavaria  and  Jean  of  Arc  —  Poitiers  arid  Bo  vines  —  History 
of  a  Ghost,  a  IJridiron,  and  a  Chest  of  Guineas 301 

CHAPTER    XXVI. 

Willis  falls  in  with  the  Sloop  on  terra  firma,  instead  of  at  the 
hottom.of  the  Sea,  as  might  have  been  expected  —  Admiral 
Cicero  —  The  Defunct  not  yet  Dead 315 

CHAPTER   XXVII. 

Captain  Littlestone  is  found,  and  the  Rev.  Mr.  Wolston  is 
seen  for  the  first  time 328 

CHAPTER   XXVIII. 

Willis  proves  that  the  only  way  to  he  free  is  to  jret  sent  to 
Prison  —  An  Escape  — =  A  Discovery  —  Promotions  — 
Somnambulism 335 

Conclusion ...  348 


WILLIS   THE   PILOT. 


CHAPTER    I. 

THB   COLONY  —  REFLECTIONS    ON    THE    PAST  —  IDEAS    OF    WILLIS 
THE    PILOT SOPHIA  WOLSTON. 

THE  early  adventures  of  the  Swiss  family,  who  were 
wrecked  on  an  unknown  coast  in  the  Pacific  Ocean,  have 
already  been  given  to  the  world.  There  are,  however, 
many  interesting  details  in  their  subsequent  career  which 
have  not  been  made  public.  These,  and  the  conversations 
with  which  they  enlivened  the  long,  dreary  days  of  the 
rainy  season,  we  are  now  about  to  lay  before  our  readers. 

Becker,  his  wife,  and  their  four  sons  had  been  fifteen 
years  on  this  uninhabited  coast,  when  a  storm  drove  the 
English  despatch  sloop  Nelson  to  the  same  spot.  Before 
this  event  occurred,  the  family  had  cleared  and  enclosed  a 
large  extent  of  country ;  but,  whether  the  territory  was 
part  of  an  island  or  part  of  a  continent,  they  had  not  yet 
ascertained.  The  land  was  naturally  fertile  ;  and,  amongst 
other  things  that  had  been  obtained  from  the  wreck  of 
their  ship,  were  sundry  packages  of  European  seeds  :  the 
produce  of  these,  together  with  that  of  two  or  three  heads 
of  cattle  they  had  likewise  rescued  from  the  wreck,  supplied 
them  abundantly  with  the  necessaries  of  life.  They  had 
erected  dwellings  here  and  there,  but  chiefly  lived  in  a 
cave  near  the  shore,  over  the  entrance  to  which  they  had 
built  a  sort  of  gallery.  This  structure,  conjointly  with 
the  cave,  formed  a  commodious  habitation,  to  which  they 
had  given  the  name  of  Rockhouse.  In  the  vicinity,  a  stream 
flowed  tranquilly  into  the  cea ;  this  stream  they  were  accus- 
tomed to  call  Jackal  River,  because,  a  few  days  after  their 


14  WILLIS   THE   PHOT. 

landing,  they  had  encountered  some  of  these  animals  on 
its  banks.  Fronting  Rockhouse  the  coast  curved  inwards, 
the  headlands  on  either  side  enclosing  a  portion  of  the 
ocean ;  to  this  inlet  they  had  given  the  name  of  Safety 
Bay,  because  it  was  here  they  first  felt  themselves  secure 
after  having  escaped  the  dangers  of  the  storm.  In  the 
centre  of  the  bay  there  was  a  small  island  which  they 
called  Shark's  Island,  to  commemorate  the  capture  of  one 
of  those  monsters  of  the  deep.  Safety  Bay,  had,  a  second 
time,  acquired  a  legitimate  title  to  its  name,  for  in  it 
Providence  had  brought  the  Nelson  safely  to  anchor. 

By  unwearying  perseverance,  indefatigable  industry, 
and  an  untiring  reliance  on  the  goodness  of  God,  Becker 
and  his  family  had  surrounded  themselves  with  abundance. 
There  was  only  one  thing  left  for  them  to  desire,  and  that 
was  the  means  of  communicating  with  their  kindred ;  and 
now  this  one  wish  of  their  hearts  was  gratified  by  the 
unexpected  appearance  of  the  Nelson  on  their  shore.  The 
fifteen  years  of  exile  they  had  so  patiently  endured  was  at 
once  forgotten.  Every  bosom  was  filled  with  boundless 
joy  ;  so  true  it  is,  that  man  only  requires  a  ray  of  sunshine 
to  change  his  most  poignant  griefs  into  smiles  and  gladness. 

The  first  impressions  of  their  deliverance  awakened  in 
the  minds  of  the  young  people  a  flood  of  projects.  The 
mute  whisperings  that  murmured  within  them  had  divulged 
to  their  understandings  that  they  were  created  for  a  wider 
sphere  than  that  in  which  they  had  hitherto  been  confined. 
Europe  and  its  wonders  —  society,  with  its  endearing 
interchanges  of  affection  —  that  vast  panorama  of  the  arts 
and  of  civilization,  of  the  trivial  and  the  sublime,  of  the 
beautiful  and  terrible,  that  is  called  the  world  —  came 
vividly  into  their  thoughts.  They  felt  as  a  man  would 
feel  when  dazzled  all  at  once  by  a  spectacle,  the  splendor 
of  which  the  eyes  and  the  mind  can  only  withstand  by 
degrees.  They  had  spelt  life  in  the  horn-book  of  true 
and  simple  nature  —  they  were  now  about  to  read  it 
fluently  in  the  gilded  volume  of  a  nature  false  and  vitiated, 
perhaps  to  regret  their  former  tranquil  ignorance. 

Becker  himself  had,  for  an  instant,  given  way  to  the 
general  enthusiasm,  but  reflection  soon  regained  her  sway; 


WILLIS    THE    PILOT.  15 

he  asked  himself  whether  he  had  solid  reasons  for  wishing 
to  return  to  Europe,  whether  it  would  be  advisable  to 
relinquish  a  certain  livelihood,  and  abandon  a  spot  that 
God  appeared  to  bless  beyond  all  others,  to  run  after  the 
doubtful  advantages  of  civilized  society. 

His  wife  desired  nothing  better  than  to  end  her  days 
there,  under  the  beautiful  sky,  where,  from  the  bosom  of 
the  tempest,  they  had  been  guided  by  the  merciful  will 
of-Him  who  is  the  source  of  all  things.  Still  the  solitude 
frightened  her  for  her  children.  "Might  it  not,"  she 
asked  herself,  "be  egotism  to  imprison  their  young  lives 
in  the  narrow  limits  of  maternal  affection  ?  "  It  occurred 
to  her  that  the  dangers  to  which  they  were  constantly 
exposed  might  remove  them  from  her ;  to-day  this  one,  to- 
morrow another ;  what,  then,  would  be  her  own  desolation, 
when  there  remained  to  her  no  bosom  on  which  to  rest 
her  head  —  no  heart  to  beat  in  unison  with  her  own  —  no 
kindly  hand  to  grasp  —  and  no  friendly  voice  to  pray  at 
her  pillow,  when  she  was  called  away  in  her  turn! 

At  length,  after  mature  deliberation,  it  was  resolved 
that  Becker  himself,  his  wife,  Fritz  and  Jack,  two  of  their 
sons,  should  remain  where  they  were,  whilst  the  two  other 
young  men  should  return  to  Europe  with  a  cargo  of 
cochineal,  pearls,  coral,  nutmegs,  and  other  articles  that 
the  country  produced  of  value  in  a  commercial  point  of 
view.  It  was,  however,  understood  that  one  of  the  two 
should  return  again  as  soon  as  possible,  and  bring  back 
with  him  any  of  his  countrymen  who  might  be  induced  to 
become  settlers  in  this  land  of  promise,  Becker  hoping,  by 
this  means,  to  found  a  new  colony  which  might  afterwards 
flourish  under  the  name  of  New  Switzerland.  The  mission 
to  Europe  was  formally  confided  to  Frank  and  Ernest, 
the  two  most  sedate  of  the  family. 

Besides  the  captain  and  crew,  there  was  on  board  the 
ship  now  riding  at  anchor  in  the  bay  a  passenger,  named 
Wolston,  with  his  wife  and  two  daughters.  This  gentle- 
man was  on  his  way  to  join  his  son  at  the  Cape  of  Good 
Hope,  but  had  been  taken  seriously  ill  previous  to  the 
Nelson's  arrival  on  the  coast.  He  and  his  family  were 
invited  on  shore  by  Becker,  and  had  taken  up  their 


16  WILLIS    THE    PILOT. 

quarters  at  Rockhouse.  Wolston  was  an  engineer  by 
profession,  but  his  wife  belonged  to  a  highly  aristocratic 
family  of  the  West  of  England ;  she  had  been  brought  up 
in  a  state  of  ease  and  refinement,  was  possessed  of  all  the 
accomplishments  required  in  fashionable  society,  but  she 
was  at  the  same  time  gifted  with  strong  good  sense,  and 
could  readily  accommodate  herself  to  the  circumstances  in 
which  she  was  now  placed.  Her  two  daughters,  Sopma 
the  youngest,  a  lively  child  of  thirteen,  and  Mary  the 
eldest,  a  demure  girl  of  sixteen,  had  been  likewise  carefully, 
but  somewhat  elaborately,  educated.  Attracted  no  less 
by  the  hearty  and  warm  reception  of  the  Swiss  family, 
than  determined  by  the  state  of  his  health  and  the  pure  air 
of  the  country,  Wolston  resolved  to  await  there  the  return 
of  the  sloop,  the  official  destination  of  which  was  the  Cape 
of  Good  Hope,  where  it  had  to  land  despatches  from 
Sidney. 

Captain  Littlestone,  of  H.B.M.'s  sloop  Nekon,  had  kindly 
consented  to  all  these  arrangements ;  he  agreed  to  convey 
Ernest  and  Frank  Becker  and  their  cargo  to  the  Cape,  to 
aid  them  there  with  his  experience,  and,  finally,  to  recom- 
mend them  to  some  trustworthy  correspondents  he  had  at 
Liverpool.  He  likewise  promised  to  bring  back  young 
Wolston  with  him  on  his  return  voyage. 

Everything  being  prepared,  the  departure  was  fixed  for 
the  next  day :  the  sloop,  with  the  blue  Peter  at  the  fore, 
was  ready,  as  soon  as  the  anchor  was  weighed,  to  continue 
her  voyage.  The  cargo  had  been  stowed  under  hatches. 
Becker  had  just  given  the  farewell  dinner  to  Captain 
Littlestone  and  Lieutenant  Dunsley,  his  second  in  com- 
mand. These  two  gentlemen  had  discreetly  taken  their 
leave,  not  to  interrupt  by  their  presence  the  final  embraces 
of  the  family,  the  ties  of  which,  after  so  many  long  years 
of  labor  and  hardship,  were  for  the  first  time  to  be  broken 
asunder. 

During  the  voyage,  Wolston  had  formed  an  intimacy 
with  the  boatswain  of  the  Nelson,  named  Willis,  and  he, 
on  his  side,  held  Wolston  and  his  family  in  high  esteem. 
Willis  was  likewise  a  great  favorite  with  his  captain  — 
they  had  served  in  the  same  ship  together  when  boys ; 


WILLIS    THE    PILOT.  17 

Willis  was  known  to  be  a  first-rate  seaman ;  so  great, 
indeed,  was  his  skill  in  steering  amongst  reefs  and  shoals, 
that  he  was  familiarly  styled  the  "  Pilot,"  by  which  cogno- 
men he  was  better  known  on  board  than  any  other.  At 
the  particular  request  of  Wolston,  who  had  some  commu- 
nications to  make  to  him  respecting  his  son,  Willis  remained 
on  shore,  the  captain  promising  to  send  his  gig  for  him 
and  his  two  passengers  the  following  morning. 

Whilst  Wolston  was  busy  charging  the  pilot  with  a 
multitude  of  messages  for  his  son,  Mrs.  Becker  was 
invoking  the  blessings  of  Heaven  upon  the  heads  of  her 
two  boys ;  praying  that  the  hour  might  be  deferred  that 
was  to  separate  her  from  these  idols  of  her  soul.  Becker 
himself,  upon  whom  his  position,  as  head  of  the  family, 
imposed  the  obligation  of  exhibiting,  at  least  outwardly, 
more  courage,  instilled  into  their  minds  such  principles 
of  truth  and  rules  of  conduct  as  the  solemnity  of  the 
moment  was  calculated  to  engrave  on  their  hearts. 

The  dial  now  marked  three  o'clock,  ti-opical  time. 
Willis,  wiping,  with  the  cuff  of  his  jacket,  a  drop  that 
trickled  from  the  corner  of  his  eye,  laid  hold  of  his  seal- 
skin sou'-wester  as  a  signal  of  immediate  departure.  Ernest 
and  Frank  were  bending  their  heads  to  receive  the  parting 
benediction  of  their  parents,  when  suddenly  a  fierce 
torrent  of  wind  shock  the  gallery  of  Rockhouse  to  its 
foundation,  and  uprooted  some  of  the  bamboo  columns  by 
which  it  was  supported. 

"  Only  a  squall,"  said  Willis  quietly. 

"A  squall!"  exclaimed  Becker,  "what  do  you  call  a 
hurricane  then  ?  " 

"  Oh,  a  hurricane,  I  mean  a  downright  reefer,  all  square 
and  close-hauled,  that  is  a  very  different  affair ;  but,  after 
all,  this  begins  to  look  very  like  the  real  article." . 

Now  came  a  succession  of  gusts,  each  succeeding  one 
more  powerful  than  its  predecessor,  till  every  beam  of 
the  gallery  bent  and  quivered ;  dense  copper-colored 
clouds  appeared  in  the  atmosphere,  rolling  against  each 
other,  and  disengaging  by  their  shock,  the  thunder  and 
lightning*.  Then  fell,_not  the  slender  needles  of  water  we 
call  rain,  but  veritable  floods,  that  were  to  our  heaviest 
2* 


18  WILLIS    THE    PILOT. 

European  showers  what  the  cataracts  of  the  Rhine,  at 
Staubach,  or  the  falls  of  Niagara,  are  to  the  gushings  of 
a  sylvan  rivulet.  In  a  few  minutes  the  Jackal  river  had 
converted  the  valley  into  a  lake,  in  which  the  plantations 
and  buildings  appeared  to  be  afloat,  and  rendering  egress 
from  Rockhouse  nearly  impossible. 

However  much  of  a  colorist  Willis  might  be,  he  could 
not  have  painted  a  storm  with  the  eloquence  of  the  ele- 
ments that  had  cut  short  his  observation. 

"  You  will  not  attempt  to  embark  in  weather  like  this?" 
inquired  Mrs.  Becker  anxiously. 

"  My  duty  it  is  to  be  on  board,"  replied  the  Pilot. 

"  The  craft  that  ventures  to  take  you  there  will  get 
swamped  twenty  times  on  the  way,"  observed  Becker. 

"  The  worst  of  it  is,  the  wind  is  from  the  east,  and  evi- 
dently carries  waterspouts  with  it.  These  waterspouts 
strike  a  ship  without  the  slightest  warning,  play  amongst 
the  rigging,  whirl  the  sails  about  like  feathers  —  sometimes 
carry  them  off  bodily,  or,  if  they  do  not  do  that,  tear  them 
to  shreds  and  shiver  the  masts.  In  either  case,  the  con- 
sequences are  disagreeable." 

"  A  reason  for  you  to  be  thankful  you  are  safe  on  shore 
with  us  !  "  remarked  Mrs.  Wolston. 

"It  is  all  very  well  for  you,  Mrs.  Wolston,  and  you, 
Mrs.  Becker,  to  talk  in  that  way ;  your  business  in  life  is 
that  of  wives  and  mothers.  But  what  will  the  Lords  of 
the  Admiralty  say,  when  they  hear  that  the  sloop  Nelson 
was  wrecked  whilst  Master  Willis,  the  boatswain,  was 
skulking  on  shore  like  a  land-rat  ?  " 

"  Oh,  they  would  only  say  there  was  one  useful  man 
more,  and  a  victim  the  less,"  replied  Fritz. 

"  Why,  not  exactly,  Master  Fritz ;  they  would  say  that 
Willis  was  a  poltroon  or  a  deserter,  whichever  he  likes ; 
they  would  very  likely  condemn  him  to  the  yard-arm  by 
lefault,  and  carry  out  the  operation  when  they  get  hold 
of  him.  But  I  will  not  endanger  any  one  else  ;  all  I  want 
is  the  use  of  your  canoe." 

"What!  brave  this  storm  in  a  wretched  seal-skin 
cockle-shell  like  that  ?  " 

"Would   it   not   be  offending   Providence,"   hazarded 


WILLIS    THE    PILOT.  19 

Mary  Wolston,  "  for  one  of  God's  creatures  to  abandon 
himself  to  certain  death  ?  " 

"  It  would,  indeed."  added  Mrs.  Wolston;  "  true  courage 
consists  in  facing  danger  when  it  is  inevitable,  but  not  in 
uselessly  imperiling  one's  life ;  there  stops  courage,  and 
temerity  begins." 

"  If  it  is  not  pride  or  folly.  I  do  not  mean  that  with 
reference  to  you,  Willis,"  hastily  added  Wolston ;  "I  know 
that  you  are  open  as  day,  and  that  all  your  impulses  arise 
from  the  heart." 

"That  is  all  very  fine  —  but  I  must  act;  let  me  have 
the  canoe.  I  want  the  canoe  :  that  is  my  idea." 

"Having  lived  fifteen  years  cut  off  from  society," 
gravely  observed  Becker,  "  it  may  be  that  I  have  forgotten 
some  of  the  laws  it  imposes  ;  nevertheless,  I  declare  upon 
my  honor  and  conscience " 

"  Let  me  have  the  canoe,  otherwise  I  must  swim  to  the 
ship." 

"  I  declare,"  continued  Becker,  "  that  Willis  exaggerates 
the  requirements  of  his  duty.  There  are  stronger  forces 
to  which  the  human  will  must  yield.  It  is  one  thing  to 
desert  one's  post  in  the  hour  of  danger,  and  another  to 
have  come  on  shore  at  the  express  desire  of  a  superior 
officer,  when  the  weather  was  fine,  and  nothing  presaged 
a  storm." 

"If  there  is  danger,"  continued  the  obstinate  sailor, 
whom  the  united  strength  of  the  four  men  could  scarcely 
restrain,  "  I  ought  to  share  it ;  that  is  my  duty  and  I 
must." 

"  But,"  said  Wolston,  "  all  the  boatswains  and  pilots  in 
the  world  can  do  nothing  against  hurricanes  and  water- 
spouts ;  their  duty  consists  in  steering  the  ship  clear  of 
reefs  and  quicksands,  and  not  in  fighting  with  the  ele- 
ments." 

"  There  is  one  thing  you  forget,  Mr.  Wolston." 

"  And  what  is  that,  Willis  ?  " 

"  It  is  to  be  side  by  side  with  your  comrades  in  the 
hour  of  calamity,  to  aid  them  if  you  can,  and  to  perish 
with  them  if  such  be  4he  will  of  Fate.  At  this  moment, 
poor  Littlestone  may  be  on  the  point  of  taking  up  his 


20  WILLIS    THB    PILOT. 

winter  quarters  in  the  body  of  a  shark.  But  there,  if  the 
sloop  is  lost  while  I  am  here  on  shore,  I  will  not  survive 
her ;  all  that  you  can  say  or  do  will  not  prevent  me  doing 
myself  justice." 

At  this  moment  Jack,  who  had  disappeared  during  this 
discussion,  unobserved,  came  in  saturated  to  the  skin  with 
water,  and  in  a  state  difficult  to  describe.  Like  the  boots 
of  Panurge,  his  feet  were  floating  in  the  water  that  flowed 
from  the  rim  of  his  cap. 

"  What  is  this  ?  "  exclaimed  his  mother.  "  You  wilful 
boy,  may  I  ask  where,  in  all  the  world,  you  have  been  ?  " 

"  I  have  just  come  from  the  bay.  O  father  and  mother! 
O  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Wolston  !  O  Master  Willis !  if  you  had 
only  seen  !  The  sea  is  furious  ;  sometimes  the  waves  rise 
to  the  skies  and  mingle  with  the  clouds,  so  that  it  is  im- 
possible to  say  where  the  one  begins  and  the  other  ends. 
It  is  frightful,  but  it  is  magnificent !  " 

"  And  the  sloop  ?  "  demanded  Willis. 

"  She  is  not  to  be  seen  ;  she  is  no  longer  at  anchor  in 
the  bay." 

"  Gone  to  the  open  sea,  to  avoid  being  driven  ashore," 
said  Wolston.  "  Captain  Littlestone  is  not  the  man  to 
remain  in  a  perilous  position  whilst  there  remained  a 
means  of  escape ;  besides,  nothing  that  science,  united 
with  courage  and  presence  of  mind,  could  do,  would  have 
been  neglected  by  him  to  save  his  ship." 

"  In  addition  to  which,"  observed  Becker,  "  if  he  had 
found  himself  in  positive  danger,  he  would  have  fired  a 
gun  ;  and  in  that  case,  though  we  are  not  pilots,  every  one 
of  us  would  have  hastened  to  his  assistance." 

"  You  see,  Willis,"  said  Mrs.  Wolston,  "  God  comes  to 
ease  your  mind ;  were  we  to  allow  you  to  go  to  the  sloop 
now,  the  thing  is  simply  impossible." 

"  I  have  my  own  idea  about  that,"  insisted  Willis,  whilst 
he  kept  beating  a  tatoo  on  the  isinglass  window  panes. 

Whilst  thus  chafing  like  a  caged  lion,  Wolston's  youngest 
daughter  went  towards  him,  and  gently  putting  her  hand 
in  his,  said,  "  Sweetheart "  (for  so  she  had  been  accus- 
tomed to  address  him),  "  do  you  remember  when,  during 
the  voyage,  you  used  to  look  at  me  very  closely,  and  that 


WILLIS    THE    PILOT.  '  21 

one  evening  I  went  boldly  up  to  you  and  asked  you  why 
you  did  so  ?  " 

"  Yes,  Miss  Sophia,  I  recollect." 
"  Do  you  remember  the-  answer  you  gave  me  ?  " 
"  Yes,  I  told  you  that  I  had   left  in  England,  on  her 
mother's  bosom,  a  little  girl  who  would  now  be  about  your 
own   age,  and  that  I   could   not  observe   the  wind   play 
amongst  the  curls  of  your  fair  hair  without   thinking  of 

O  J 

her,  and  that  it  sometimes  made  my  breast  swell  like  the 
mizen-top-sail  before  the  breeze." 

"  Yes,  and  when  I  promised  to  keep  out  of  your  sight, 
not  to  reawaken  your  grief,  you  told  me  it  was  a  kind  of 
grief  that  did  you  more  good  than  harm,  and  that  the  more 
it  made  you  grieve,  the  happier  you  would  be." 

"All  true:"  replied  the  sailor,  whose  excitement  was 
melting  away  before  the  soft  tones  of  the  child  like  hoar 
frost  in  the  sunshine. 

"  Then  I  promised  to  come  and  talk  to  you  about  your 
Susan  every  day  ;  and  did  I  not  keep  my  word  ?  " 

"  Certainly,  Miss  Sophia;  and  it  is  only  bare  justice  to 
say  that  you  gracefully  yielded  to  all  my  fatherly  whims, 
and  even  went  so  far  as  to  wear  a  brown  dress  oftener 
than  another,  because  I  said  that  my  little  Susan  wore 
that  color  the  last  time  I  kissed  her." 

'•  Oh,  but  that  is  a  secret,  Willis." 

"  Yes,  but  I  am  going  to  tell  all  our  secrets  —  that  is  an 
idea  of  mine.  You  then  went  and  learned  Susan's  mother's 
favorite  song,  with  which  you  would  sometimes  sing  me  to 
sleep,  like  a  great  baby  that- 1  am,  and  make  me  fancy 
that  I  was  surrounded  by  my  wife  and  daughter,  and  was 
comfortably  smoking  my  pipe  in  my  own  cottage,  with  a 
glass  of  grog  at  my  elbow." 

Willis  said  this  so  earnestly,  that  the  smile  called  forth 
by  the  oddness  of  the  remark  scarcely  dared  to  show  itself 
on  the  lips  of  the  listeners. 

"  Very  well,"  resumed  the  little  damsel,  "  if  you  are 
not  more  reasonable,  and  if  you  keep  talking  of  throwing 
your  life  away,  I  will  never  again  place  my  hand  in  yours 
as  now ;  I  shall  not  lo^e  you  any  more,  and  shall  find 


22  WILLIS    THE    PILOT. 

means  of  letting  Susan's  mother  know  that  you  went  away 
and  killed  yourself,  and  made  her  a  widow." 

Men  ean  only  speak  coldly  and  appeal  to  reason — logic 
is  their  panacea  in  argument.  Women  alone  possess  those 
inspirations,  those  simple  words  without  emphasis,  that  find 
their  way  directly  to  the  heart,  and  for  which  purpose  God 
has  doubtless  endowed  them  with  those  soft,  mild  tones, 
whose  melodies  cause  our  most  cherished  resolutions  to 
vanish  in  the  air ;  like  those  massive  stone  gates  we  have 
seen  in  some  of  the  old  castles  in  Germany,  that  resist  the 
most  powerful  effort  to  push  them  open,  but  which  a  spring 
of  the  simplest  construction  causes  to  move  gently  on  their 
-formidable  hinges. 

Willis  was  silent ;  but  no  openly-expressed  submission 
could  have  been  more  eloquent  than  this  mute  acqui- 
escence. 

In  the  meantime  the  tempest  raged  with  increased  fury, 
the  winds  howled,  and  the  water  splashed  ;  it  appeared  at 
each  shock  as  if  the  elements  had  reached  the  utmost  limit 
of  the  terrific ;  that  the  sea,  as  the  poet  says,  had  lashed 
itself  into  exhaustion  !  I>ut,  anon,  there  came  another 
outburst  more  terrible  still,  to  declare  that,  in  his  anger  as 
in  his  blessings,  the  Ail-Powerful  has  no  other  limit  than 
the  infinite. 

"  If  it  is  not  in  the  power  of  human  beings  to  aid  the 
crew  of  the  Nelson"  said  Mrs.  Becker  kneeling,  "  there 
are  other  means  more  efficacious  which  we  are  guilty  in 
not  having  sought  before." 

Every  one  followed  this  example,  and  it  was  a  touching 
scene  to  behold  the  rough  sailor  yield  submissively  to  the 
gentle  violence  of  the  child's  hand,  and  bend  his  bronzed 
and  swarthy  visage  humbly  beside  her  cherub  head. 


CHAPTER  II. 


TO   WHAT  EXTENT   WILLIS    THE    PILOT    HAD    IDEAS    ON   CEBTAIN 
SUBJECTS — THE    KNIGHTS    OF    THE    OCEAN. 

THE  storm  continued  to  rage  without  intermission  for 
three  entire  days.  During  this  interval,  not  only  was  it 
impossible  to  send  the  canoe  or  pinnace  to  sea,  but  even 
to  venture  a  step  beyond  the  threshold,  so  completely  had 
the  tempest  broken  up  the  burning  soil,  the  thirst  of  which 
the  great  Disposer  of  all  things  had  proportioned  to  the 
deluges  that  were  destined  to  assuage  it. 

All  had  at  length  yielded  to  bodily  fatigue  and  mental 
anxiety,  for  the  seeming  eternity  of  these  three  days  and 
three  nights  had  been  passed  in  prayer,  and  in  the  most 
fearful  apprehensions  as  to  the  fate  of  the  Nelson  and  her 
crew. 

Nothing  in  the  horizon  as  yet  indicated  that  the 
thunders  were  tired  of  roaring,  the  clouds  of  rending 
themselves  asunder,  the  winds  of  howling,  or  the  waves 
of  frantically  beating  on  the  cliffs. 

Towards  evening  the  ladies  had  retired  to  the  sick-room 
with  a  view  of  seeking  some  repose.  Becker,  Willis,  and 
the  young  men  bivouacked  in  the  hall,  where  some  mat- 
tresses and  bear-skins  had  been  laid  down.  Here  it  was 
arranged  that,  for  the  common  safety,  each  during  the 
night  should  watch  in  turn.  But  about  two  in  the  morn- 
ing, Ernest  had  no  sooner  relieved  Fritz  than,  fatigue 
overcoming  his  sense  of  duty,  the  poor  fellow  fell  com- 
fortably asleep,  and  he  was  soon  perfectly  unconscious  of 
all  that  was  passing  around  him. 

Becker  awoke  first — it  was  broad  daylight.  "  Where 
is  Willis  ?  "  he  cried,  on  getting  up. 


24  WILLIS    THE    PILOT. 

"  Holloa !  "  exclaimed  Fritz,  running  towards  Lhe  maga- 
zine, "  the  canoe  has  disappeared !  " 

In  an  instant  all  were  on  their  feet. 

"  Some  one  of  you  has  fallen  asleep  then,"  said  Becker 
to  his  children ;  ''for  when  the  pilot  watched  I  watched 
with  him,  and  never  lost  sight  of  him  for  a  moment." 

"  I  am  the  culprit,"  said  Ernest ;  "  and  if  any  mischief 
arises  out  of  this  imprudence,  I  shall  never  forgive  myself. 
But  who  could  have  dreamt  of  any  one  being  foolhardy 
enough  to  attempt  the  rescue  of  a  ship  in  a  nutshell  that 
scarcely  holds  two  persons  ?  " 

"  I  pray  Heaven  that  your  sleepy-headedness  may  not 
result  in  the  loss  of  human  life !  You  see,  my  son,  that 
there  is  no  amount  of  duty,  be  it  ever  so  trifling  in  im- 
portance, that  can  be  neglected  with  impunity.  It  is  the 
concurrent  devotion  of  each,  and  the  sacrifices  of  one  for 
another,  that  constitutes  and  secures  the  mutu?l  security. 
Society  on  a  small,  as  on  a  large  scale,  is  a  chain  of  which 
each  individual  is  a  link,  and  when  one  fails  the  whole  is 
broken." 

"  I  will  go  after  him,"  said  Ernest. 

"  Fritz  and  I  will  go  with  you,"  added  Frank. 

"  No,"  said  Ernest ;  "  I  alone  am  guilty,  and  I  wish 
alone  to  remedy  my  fault  —  that  is,  as  far  as  possible." 

"  I  could  not  hide  the  canoe,"  observed  Fritz,"  "  but  I 
hid  the  oars,  and  I  find  them  in  their  place." 

"  That,  perhaps,  will  have  prevented  hire  embarking," 
remarked  one  of  the  boys. 

"  A  man  like  Willis,"  replied  Becker,  "  is  "ot  prevented 
carrying  out  his  intentions  by  such  obstacles  ;  he  will  have 
taken  the  first  thing  that  came  to  hand ;  but  let  us  go." 

"  What,  father,  am  I  not  then  to  go  alon.%  and  so  bear 
the  penalty  of  my  own  fault  ?  " 

"  No,  Ernest,  that  would  be  to  inflict  two  evils  upon  us 
instead  of  one ;  it  is  sufficient  that  you  hav«  shown  your 
willingness  to  do  so.  Besides,  three  will  not  be  over  many 
to  convince  Willis,  even  if  yet  in  time." 

"And  mother?  and  the  ladies?"  inquired  FrHr.. 

"  I  shall  leave  Fr,ank  and  Jack  to  see  to  ('>»•»>  •  a  mere 


WILLIS    THE    PILOT.  25 

obstinate  freak,  or  a  catastrophe,  it  will  be  time  enough, 
when  over,  to  inform  them  of  this  new  idea  of  the  Pilot's." 

"  It  is  something  more  than  an  idea  this  time,"  remarked 
Jack. 

Just  as  Becker  and  his  two  sons  were  issuing  from  the 
grotto,  the  report  of  a  cannon-shot  resounded  through 
the  air. 

Awoke  and  startled  by  the  explosion,  Becker's  wife  and 
Mrs.  Wolston  came  running  towards  them.  As  for  the 
girls,  their  guardian  angel  had  too  closely  enveloped  them 
in  its  wings  to  admit  of  their  sleep  being  disturbed. 

"  The  sloop  on  the  coast ! "  said  Frank  ;  "  for  the  sound 
is  too  distinct  to  come  from  a  distance." 

"  Unless  Willis  has  got  upon  Shark's  Isl-  nd,"  objected 
Fritz,  running  towards  the  terrace,  armed  with  a  teles- 
cope. "  Just  so ;  he  is  there,  I  see  him  distinctly  ;  he  is 
recharging  our  four-pounder." 

"  God  be  praised !  you  relieve  my  conscl-moe  of  a  great 
burden,"  said  Ernest,  placing  his  hand  on  hip  breast. 

"  He  is  going  to  discharge  it,"  cried  Frit*; --boom. 
Then  a  second  shot  reverberated  in  the  air.   « 

"  If  Captain  Littlestone  be  within  hearing  of  that  signal, 
he  will  be  sure  to  reply  to  it"  said  Becker.  "  Listen  ! " 

They  hushed  themselves  in  silence,  earl  retaining  his 
respiration,  as  if  their  object  had  been  to  hew  the  sound 
of  a  fly's  wing  rather  than  the  report  of  a  cannon. 

"  Nothing !"  said  Becker  sadly,  at  the  expiration  of  a 
few  minutes. 

"Nothing!"  reiterated  successively  all  the  voices. 

"  How  in  all  the  world  did  Willis  contrive  to  fret  tran- 
sported to  Shark's  Island  ?  "  inquired  Mrs.  Becker 

"  Simply,  wife,  by  watching  when  asleep,  whilst  one  of 
oui  gentlemen  slept  when  he  watched." 

"Yes,  mother,"  said  Ernest,"  and  if  you  wonld  not 
have  me  blush  before  Mrs.  Wolston,  you  will  not  insist 
upon  an  explanation  of  the  mystery." 

"  Mrs.  Wolston,"  she  replied,  "  is  not  so  exact""^  as 
you  seem  to  think,  Master  Ernest  —  the  only  difJVe.nce 
that  her  presence  here  should  make  amongst  you  in.  tl'it 
you  have  two  mothers  instead  of  one." 
3 


26  WILLIS    THE    PILOT. 

" That  is"  said  Mrs.  Wolston  smiling,  " if  Mrs.  Becker 
has  no  objections  to  dividing  the  office  with  me." 

"  Shall  I  not  have  compensation  in  your  daughters  ?  " 
said  Mrs.  Becker,  taking  her  by  the  hand. 

"  Still,"  interrupted  Fritz,  "  I  cannot  yet  conceive  how 
Willis  managed  to  reach  Shark's  Island  in  a  wretched 
canoe,  without  oars,  through  waves  that  ought  to  have 
swallowed  him  up  over  and  over  again." 

"  Bah !"  exclaimed  Jack ;  "  what  use  has  a  pilot  for 
oars  ?" 

"  There  is  a  question !  You,  who  modestly  call  your- 
self the  best  horseman  on  the  island,  how  would  you  do, 
if  you  had  nothing  to  ride  upon  ?  " 

"I  could  at  least  fall  back  upon  broomsticks,"  retorted 
the  imperturbable  Jack.  "  Besides,  in  Willis's  case,  the 
canoe  was  the  steed,  the  oars  the  saddle  —  nothing  more." 

"We  shall  not  stay  here  to  solve  the  riddle,"  said 
Becker ;  "  the  storm  seems  disposed  to  abate ;  and  the 
more  that  it  was  unreasonable  to  face  certain  destruction 
in  a  vain  endeavor  to  assist  a  problematical  shipwreck, 
the  more  it  is  incumbent  upon  us  now  to  go  in  quest  of 
the  Nelson." 

"  But  the  sea  will  still  be  very  terrible !"  quickly  added 
Mrs.  Becker. 

"  If  all  danger  were  over,  wife,  the  enterprise  would  do 
us  little  credit.  It  is  our  duty  to  do  the  best  we  can, 
according  to  the  strength  and  means  at  our  command. 
Fritz,  Ernest,  and  Jack,  go  and  put  on  your  life-preservers 
—  we  shall  take  up  Willis  in  passing." 

"  I  must  not  insist,"  said  Mrs.  Becker ;  "  the  sacrifice 
would,  indeed,  be  no  sacrifice,  if  it  could  be  easily  borne  ; 
and  yet " 

"  Remember  the  time,  wife,  when  I  was  obliged,  in 
order  to  secure  the  precious  remains  of  our  ship,  to 
venture  with  our  eldest  sons  on  a  float  of  tubs,  leaving 
you  exposed,  alone  with  a  child  of  seven,  to  the  chance  of 
eternal  isolation!" 

"  That  is  very  true,  husband :  I  am  unjust  towards 
Providence,  which  has  never  ceased  blessing  us ;  but  I  am 


WILLIS    THE   PILOT.  27 

only  a  weak  woman,  and  my  heart  often  gets  the  better 
of  my  head." 

"  To-day  I  leave  Frank  with  you  ;  but,  instead  of  your 
being  his  protector,  as  was  the  case  fifteen  years  ago,  he 
will  be  yours.  Then  there  is  Mrs.  Wolston,  her  daughters, 
and  husband,  quite  a  new  world  of  sympathies  and 
consolations,  by  which  our  island  has  been  so  miraculously 
peopled." 

"  Go  then,  husband,  and  may  God  bring  back  in  safety 
both  the  pinnace  and  the  Nelson  !  " 

"  By  the  way,  Mrs.  Wolston,  how  does  our  worthy 
invalid  get  on  ?  We  live  in  such  a  turmoil  of  events  and 
consternations,  that  I  must  beg  a  thousand  pardons  for  not 
having  asked  after  him  before." 

"  His  sleep  appears  untroubled;  and,  notwithstanding  all 
the  terrors  of  the  last  few  days,  I  entertain  sanguine  hopes 
of  his  immediate  recovery." 

"  You  will  at  least  return  before  night  ? "  said  Mrs. 
Becker  to  her  husband. 

"  Rely  upon  my  not  prolonging  my  stay  beyond  what 
the  exigencies  of  the  expedition  imperiously  require." 

"  Good  gracious  !  what  are  these  ?  "  exclaimed  Mrs. 
Wolston  as  the  three  brothers  entered,  equipped  in  seal- 
gut  trowsers,  floating  stays  of  the  same  material,  and 
Greenland  caps. 

"The  Knights  of  the  Ocean,"  replied  Jack  gravely, 
"  who,  like  the  heroes  of  Cervantes,  go  forth  to  redress 
the  wrongs  done  by  the  tempest,  and  to  break  lances  — 
oars,  I  mean  —  in  favor  of  persecuted  sloops." 

Mrs.  Becker  herself  could  scarcely  refrain  from  smiling. 

Such  is  the  power  of  the  smile  that,  in  season  or  out 
of  season,  it  often  finds  its  way  to  the  most  pallid  lips,  in 
the  midst  of  the  greatest  disasters  and  the  deepest  grief. 
It  appears  as  if  always  listening  at  the  door  ready  to  take 
its  place  on  the  slightest  notice.  This  diversion  had  the 
good  effect  of  mixing  a  little  honey  with  —  if  the  expres- 
sion may  be  used  —  the  bitterness  of  the  parting  adieus. 
Becker  took  the  lead  in  hiding  his  sorrow;  the  three  young 
Greenlanders  tore  themselves  from  the  maternal  embrace, 


28  WILLIS    THE    PILOT. 

and  affectionately  kissed  the  hand  held  out  to  them  by 
Mrs.  Wolston. 

Then,  between  those  that  departed  and  those  that 
remained  behind,  there  was  nothing  more  than  the  ties  of 
recollection,  the  common  sadness,  and  the  endless  links  of 
mutual  affection. 


CHAPTER    III. 

WHEREIN    WILLIS    THE     PILOT    PROVES    "  IRREFRAGABLY "   THAT 

EPHEMERIDES    DIE     OF    CONSUMPTION    AND     HOME-SICKNESS 

THE    CANOE    AND    ITS  YOUNG    ONES THE    SEARCH    AFTER   THB 

SLOOP  —  FOUND  —  THE    SWORD-FISH  —  FLOATING    ATOMS  —  AD- 
MIRAL  SOCRATES. 

WHEN  they  had  come  within  a  short  distance  of  the 
bay,  Jack  thought  he  saw  a  large  black  creature  moving 
in  the  bushes  that  lined  the  shore. 

"  A  sea  monster ! "  he  cried,  levelling  his  musket ;  "  I 
discovered  it,  and  have  the  right  to  the  first  shot." 

"  No,  sir,"  said  Fritz,  whose  keen  eye  was  a  sort  of 
locomotive  telescope,  "  I  object  to  that,  for  I  do  not  want 
you  to  kill  or  wound  my  canoe." 

"  Nonsense,  it  moves." 

"  Whether  it  moves  or  not,  we  shall  all  see  by  and  by ; 
but  do  you  not  observe  this  monster's  young  ones  gambol- 
ling by  its  side  ?  " 

"  Which  proves  I  am  right,  unless  you  mean  to  say 
your  canoe  has  been  hatching,"  and  Jack  again  levelled 
his  rifle. 

"  Don't  fire,  it  is  the  hat  and  jacket  of  Willis ! " 

"  What ! "  exclaimed  Ernest,  "  is  the  Pilot  a  triton  then, 
that  he  could  dispense  with  the  canoe  ?  " 

"  Well,  yes,  unless  the  canoe  has  found  its  way  back  ot 
its  own  accord,  which  would  indeed  make  it  an  intelligent 
creature." 

"  The  Pilot  has  evidently  reached  Shark's  Island  by 
swimming,  in  spite  of  surf  and  breakers  —  a  feat  almost 
without  a  parallel." 

"  Bah  !  "  said  Ernest,  parodying  Jack's  witticism  about 
the  oars,  "  what  does  a  pilot  care  about  surf  and  breakers  ?  " 

Strongly  moored  in  a  creek  of  the  Jackal  River,  and 
3*  29 


30  WTLUi   TH»   FILOT. 

protected  by  a  bltiff,  forming  a  screen  between  it  and  the 
tea,  the  pinnace  had  in  no  way  suffered  from  the  storm. 

The  swell  was  so  violent,  that  they  had  a  world  of 
trouble  in  making  the  island ;  as  they  approached,  Willis, 
who  had  made  a  speaking-trumpet  by  joining  his  hands 
round  his  mouth,  was  roaring  out  alternately,  "  starboard," 
**  larboard,"  "  hard-a-port,"  just  as  if  these  terms  had  not 
been  Hebrew  to  the  impromptu  mariners. 

At  last,  tired  of  holloaing,  "  Stop  a  bit,"  he  said.  "  I 
shall  find  a  quicker  way ; "  with  that  he  threw  himself 
directly  into  the  sea,  and  cut  through  the  waves  towards 
them  as  if  his  arm*  had  been  driven  by  a  steam  engine. 

Arrived  on  board,  he  gave  a  vigorous  turn  to  the  tiller, 
laid  hold  of  the  sheet,  let  out  a  reef  here,  took  in  another 
there  :  the  pinnace  was  soon  completely  at  his  command, 
and  behaved  admirably  ;  true,  she  pitched  furioasly.  and 
the  gunwale  was  under  water  at  every  plunge.  He  headed 
along  the  coast  tiD  the  point  beyond  which  Fritz  had  first 
observed  the  Nelson  was  fairly  doubled ;  some  days  before 
this  point  was  called  Cape  Deliverance,  it  was  now.  per- 
haps, about  to  acquire  the  term  of  Cape  Disappointment, 
but  for  the  moment  its  future  designation  was  in  embryo. 

Leaping  on  the  poop,  Willis  carefully  scanned  the  horizon 
as  the  boat  rose  upon  the  summit  of  the  waves  ;  but  seeing 
nothing,  he  at  last  leapt  down  again  with  an  expres- 
sion of  rage  that,  under  other  circumstances,  would  have 
been  irresistibly  comic.  Abandoning  the  direction  of  the 
pinnace,  he  went  and  sat  down  on  a  bulk-head,  and  covered 
his  face  with  hia  hands,  in  an  attitude  of  profound 


«  Wlffia !  Wfflis ! "  cried  Jack,  "  I  shall  tell  Sophia." 

But  there  was  neither  the  soft  voice  there,  the  caressing 
hand,  nor  the  sweet  fascination  of  the  young  girl's  presence, 
and  Willis  continued  immovable. 

Becker  saw  that  his  was  one  of  those  minds  that  grew 
less  calm  the  more  they  were  urged,  and  the  excitement  of 
which  must  be  permitted  to  wear  itself  out ;  he  therefore 
beckoned  his  sons  to  leave  him  to  his  own  reflections. 

The  wind  still  blew  a  gale,  and  the  pinnace  pitched 
fcearfly ;  but  the  §un  was  now  beginning  to  break  through 


WILLIS    THE   PILOT.  31 

the  masses  of  lurid  cloud,  and  the  air  was  becoming  less 
and  less  charged  with  vapor. 

u  I  can  descry  nothing  either,"  said  Becker ;  "  and  yet 
this  is  the  direction  the  storm  must  have  driven  the  sloop." 

u  The  sea  is  very  capricious,"  suggested  Fritz. 

"  True,  but  not  to  the  extent  of  carrying  a  ship  against 
the  wind." 

u  Unfortunately,"  said  Jack,  "  it  is  not  on  sea  as  on  land, 
where  the  slightest  indications  of  an  object  lost  may  lead 
to  its  discovery  ;  a  word  dropped  in  the  ear  of  a  passer-by 
might  put  you  on  the  track,  but  here  it  is  no  use  saying, 
'  Sir.  did  you  not  see  the  Nelson  pass  this  way  ? '  * 

"  Fire  a  shot,"  said  Ernest ;  "  it  may  perhaps  be  heard, 
now  that  the  air  is  less  humid." 

The  two-pounder  was  ready  charged ;  Fritr  struck  a 
light  and  set  fire  to  a  strip  of  mimosa  bark,  with  which  he 
touched  the  piece,  and  the  report  boomed  across  the 
waters. 

Willis  raised  his  head  and  listened  anxiously,  but  soon 
dropped  it  again,  and  resumed  his  former  attitude  of  hope- 
less despair. 

••  It  may  be,"  said  Ernest,  a  that  the  Nelson  hears  our 
signal,  thoush  we  do  not  hear  hers." 

O  O 

"  How  can  that  be  ?  "  inquired  Jack. 

"  Why,  very  easily.  Sound  increases  or  diminishes  in 
intensity  according  as  the  wind  carries  it  on  or  retards  it." 

"  What,  then,  is  sound,  that  the  wind  can  blow  it  about, 
most  learned  brother  ?  " 

••  It  is  a  result  of  the  compression  of  the  air.  that  from 
its  elasticity  extends  and  expands,  and  which  causes  a  sort 
of  trembling  or  undulation,  similar  to  that  which  is  ob- 
served in  water  when  a  stone  is  thrown  into  it" 

"  And  you  may  add,"  said  Becker,  "  that  bodies  striking 
the  air  excite  sonorous  vibrations  in  this  fluid ;  thus  it 
rings  under  the  lash  that  strikes  it  with  violence,  and 
whistles  under  the  rapid  impulsion  of  a  switch :  it  like- 
wise becomes  sonorous  when  it  strikes  itself  with  force 
against  any  solid  body,  as  tie  wind  when  it  blows  against 
the  cordage  of  ships,  houses,  trees,  and  generally  every 
object  with  which  it  comes  in  contact." 


82  WILLIS   THB    PILOT. 

"  I  can  understand,"  replied  Jack,  "  how  this  sonoroua 
effect  is  produced  on  the  particles  of  air  in  immediate  con- 
tact with  the  object  struck  ;  but  how  this  sound  is  propa- 
gated, I  do  not  see." 

"  Very  likely  ;  but  still  it  travels  from  particle  to  par- 
ticle, in  a  circle,  at  the  rate  of  three  hundred  and  forty 
yards  in  a  second." 

"  Three  hundred  and  forty  yards  in  a  second !"  said 
Willis,  who  was  beginning  by  degrees  to  recover  his  self- 
possession.  "Well,  that  is  what  I  should  call  going  a- 
head." 

"And  by  what  sort  of  compasses  has  this  speed  been 
measured,  Master  Ernest?" 

"  The  first  accurate  measurement,  Master  Jack,  was 
made  at  Paris  in  1738.  There  are  there  two  tolerably 
elevated  points,  namely,  Montmartre  and  Montlhery —  the 
distance  between  these,  in  a  direct  line,  is  14,636  toises. 
Cannons  were  fired  during  the  night,  and  the  engineers 
on  one  of  the  elevations  observed  that  an  interval  of 
eighty-six  seconds  and  a  half  elapsed  between  the  flash 
and  the  report  of  a  cannon  fired  on  the  other." 

"  That  half-second  is  very  amusing,"  said  Jack  laugh- 
ing ;  "  if  there  had  been  only  eighty  or  eighty-six  net,  one 
might  still  be  permitted  to  entertain  some  doubts ;  but 
eighty-six  and  a  half  admits  nothing  of  the  kind.  But 
why  not  three-quarters  or  six-eighths,  they  would  do  as 
well  ?  " 

"  What  is  more  natural  than  to  reckon  the  fraction,  if 
we  are  desirous  of  obtaining  absolute  precision  ?  Is  six 
months  of  your  time  of  no  value  ?  Are  thirty  minutes 
more  or  less  on  the  dial  of  your  watch  of  no  signification 
to  you?" 

"  Your  brother  is  perfectly  right,  Jack ;  you  are  not 
always  successful  in  your  jokes." 

"  Other  experiments  have  been  made  since  then,"  con- 
tinued Ernest,  "and  the  results  have  always  been  the 
same,  making  .allowances  for  the  wind,  and  a  slight 
variation  that  is  ascribed  to  temperature." 

"  To  confirm  the  accuracy  of  this  statement,  the  speed 
pf  light  would  have  to  be  taken  into  consideration." 


WILLIS    THE    PILOT.  83 

"  True ;  but  the  velocity  of  light  is  BO  great,  that  the 
instant  a  cannon  is  fired  the  flash  is  seen." 

'•  Whatever  the  distance  ?  " 

''  Yes,  whatever  the  distance.  Bear  in  mind  that  the 
rays  of  the  sun  only  require  eight  minutes  to  traverse  the 
thirty-four  millions  of  leagues  that  extend  between  us  and 
that  body.  Hence  it  follows  that  the  time  light  takes  to 
travel  from  one  point  to  another  on  the  earth  may  be 
regarded  as  nil." 

"  That  is  something  like  distance  and  speed,"  remarked 
Willis,  "  and  may  be  all  right  as  regards  the  sun,  but  I 
should  not  be  disposed  to  admit  that  there  are  any  other 
instances  of  the  same  kind." 

"  Very  good,  Master  Willis  ;  and  yet  the  sun  is  only  a 
step  from  us  in  comparison  to  the  distance  of  some  stars 
that  we  see  very  distinctly,  but  which  are,  nevertheless, 
so  remote,  that  their  rays,  travelling  at  the  same  rate  as 
those  of  the  sun,  are  several  years  in  reaching  us." 

Willis  rose  abruptly,  whistling  "  the  Mariner's  March," 
and  went  to  join  Fritz,  who  wa»  steering  the  pinnace. 

At  this  naive  mark  of  disapprobation  on  the  part  of  the 
Pilot,  Becker,  Ernest,  and  Jack  burst  involuntarily  into  a 
violent  peal  of  laughter. 

"  Laugh  away,  laugh  away,"  said  Willis ;  "  I  will  not 
admit  your  calculations  for  all  that." 

The  sky  had  now  assumed  an  opal  or  azure  tint,  the 
wind  had  gradually  died  away  into  a  gentle  breeze,  the 
waves  were  now  swelling  gently  and  regularly,  like  the 
movements  of  the  infant's  cradle  that  is  being  rocked 
asleep.  Never  had  a  day,  opening  in  the  convulsions  of 
a  tempest,  more  suddenly  lapsed  into  sunshine  and  smiles: 
it  was  like  the  fairies  of  Perrault's  Tales,  who,  at  first 
wrapped  in  sorry  rags,  begging  and  borne  down  with  age, 
throw  off  their  chrysalis  and  appear  sparkling  with  youth, 
gaiety,  and  beauty,  their  wallet  converted  into  a  basket  of 
flowers,  and  their  crutch  to  a  magic  wand. 

"Father"  inquired  Fritz,  "shall  we  go  any  farther?" 

Since  the  weather  had  calmed  down,  and  there  was  no 
longer  any  necessity  for  exertion,  the  expedition  had  lost 
its  charm  for  the  young  man. 


34  WILLIS    THE    PILOT. 

"  I  Ihink  it  is  useless  ;  what  say  you,  Willis  ?" 

"  Ah,"  said  the  latter,  taking  Becker  by  the  hand,  "  in 
consideration  of  the  eight  days'  friendship  that  connects 
you  even  more  intimately  with  Captain  Littlestone  than 
my  affection  for  him  of  twenty  years'  standing,  keep  still 
a  few  miles  to  the  east." 

"If  the  sloop  has  been  driven  to  a  distance  by  the  storm, 
and  is  returning  towards  us,  which  is  very  likely,  I  do  not 
see  that  we  can  be  of  much  use." 

"  But  if  dismasted  and  leaky  ?" 

"  That  would  alter  the  case,  only  I  am  afraid  the  ladies 
will  be  uneasy  about  us." 

"  But  they  were  half  prepared,  father." 

"Jack  is  right,"  added  Fritz,  whose  energies  were 
again  called  into  play  by  the  thought  of  the  Nelson  in 
distress  ;  "  let  us  go  on." 

"  Besides,  on  the  word  of  a  pilot,  the  sea  will  be  very 
calm  and  gentle  for  some  time  to  come :  there  is  not  the 
slightest  danger." 

"  And  what  if  there  were  ?"  replied  Fritz. 

"  Well,  Willis,  I  shall  give  up  the  pinnace  to  you  till 
dark,"  said  Becker,  "  and  may  God  guide  us ;  we  shall 
return  to-night,  so  as  to  arrive  at  Rockhouse  early  in  the 
morning." 

"  Hurrah  for  the  captain !"  cried  Willis,  throwing  a  cap 
into  the  air. 

The  evolutions  of  a  cap,  thrown  up  towards  the  sky  or 
down  upon  the  ground,  were  very  usual  modes  with  Willis 
of  expressing  his  joy  or  sorrow. 

This  homage  rendered  to  Becker,  he  hastened  to  let  a 
reef  out  of  the  sheet,  and -the  pinnace,  for  a  moment  at 
rest,  redoubled  its  speed,  like  post-horses  starting  from  the 
inn-door  under  the  combined  influence  of  a  cheer  from  the 
postillion  and  a  flourish  of  the  whip. 

"  There  is  a  cockle-shell  that  skips  along  pretty  fairly," 
said  Willis  ;  "  but  it  wants  two  very  important  things." 

"What  things?" 

"  A  caboose  and  a  nigger." 

"  A  caboose  and  a  nigger  ?" 

"  Yes,  I  mean  a  pantry  and  a  cook  ;  a  gale  for  breakfast 


WILLIS   THE   PILOT.  35 

is  all  very  well,  one  gets  used  to  it,  it  is  light  and  easily 
digested ;  but  the  same  for  dinner  is  rather  too  much  of  a 
good  thing  in  one  day." 

"  I  observed  your  thoughtful  mother  hang  a  sack  on  one 
of  your  shoulders,  which  appeared  tolerably  well  filled  — 
•where  is  it?" 

"Here  it  is,"  said  Jack,  issuing  frcm  the  hatchway; 
"  here  are  our  stores :  a  ham,  two  Dutch  cheeses,  two 
callabashes  full  of  Rockhouse  malaga,  and  there  is  plenty 
of  fresh  water  in  the  gourds ;  with  these,  we  have  where- 
withal to  defy  hunger  till  to-morrow." 

"  Capital !"  said  Willis. 

This  time,  however,  a  cap  did  not  appear  in  the  air,  as 
the  last  one  had  not  been  seen  since  the  former  ovation. 

"  Let  us  lay  the  table,"  said  Jack,  arranging  the  coils 
of  rope  that  crowded  the  deck.  "  Well,  you  see,  Willis, 
we  want  for  nothing  on  board  the  pinnace,  not  even  a 
what-do-you-call-it  ?" 

"  A  caboose,  Master  Jack." 

"  Well,  not  even  a  caboose." 

"Quite  true;  and  if  the  Nelson  were  in  the  offing,  I 
would  not  exchange  my  pilot's  badge  for  the  epaulettes  of 
a  commodore ;  but,  alas !  she  is  not  there." 

"Cheer  up,  Willis,  cheer  up;  one  is  either  a  man  or  one 
is  not.  What  is  the  good  of  useless  regrets?" 

"  Very  little,  but  it  is  hard  to  be  yard-armed  while 
absent  at  my  time  of  life — and  afterwards  —  your  health, 
Mr.  Becker." 

"That  would  be  hard  at  any  age,  Willis;  but  I  rather 
think  it  has  not  come  to  that  yet." 

"  When  it  has  come  to  it,  there  will  be  very  little  time 
left  to  talk  it  over." 

"  Did  you  not  say,  brother,  that  the  Nelson  might  hear 
our  signals  without  our  hearing  hers  ?  If  so,  there  is  a 
chance  for  Willis  yet." 

"  Certainly,  Jack,  because  she  has  the  wind  in  her 
favor  to  act  as  a  speaking-trumpet,  whilst  we  had  it 
against  us  acting  as  a  deafener." 

"Is  there  any  other  influence  that  affects  sound  besides 
the  wind?" 


36  WILLIS    mii   PILOT. 


"Yes,  I  have  already  mentioned  that  temperature  has 
something  to  do  with  it.  Sound  varies  in  intensity 
according  to  the  state  of  the  atmosphere.  If,  for  example, 
we  ring  a  small  bell  in  a  closed  vessel  filled  with  air,  it 
has  been  observed  that,  as  the  air  is  withdrawn  by  the 
pump,  the  sound  gradually  grows  less  and  less  distinct." 

"  And  if  a  vacuum  be  formed  ?  " 

"  Then  the  sound  is  totally  extinguished." 

"  So,  then,"  objected  Willis,  "  if  two  persons  were  to 
talk  in  what  you  call  a  vacuum,  they  would  not  hear  each 
other  ?  " 

"  Two  persons  could  not  talk  in  a  vacuum,"  replied 
Ernest. 

"  Why  not  ?  " 

"  Because  they  would  die  as  soon  as  they  opened  their 
mouths." 

"Ah,  that  alters  the  case." 

"  If,  on  the  contrary,  a  quantity  of  air  or  gas  were  com- 
pressed into  a  space  beyond  what  it  habitually  held,  then 
the  sound,"  continued  Ernest,  "would  be  more  intense 
than  if  the  air  were  free." 

"  In  that  case  a  whisper  would  be  equal  to  a  howl  !  " 

"  You  think  I  am  joking,  Willis  ;  but  on  the  tops  of 
high  mountains,  such  as  the  Himalaya  and  Mont  Blanc, 
where  the  air  is  much  rarified,  voices  are  not  heard  at  the 
distance  of  two  paces." 

"Awkward  for  deaf  people!" 

''Whilst,  on  the  icy  plains  of  the  frozen  regions,  where 
the  air  is  condensed  by  the  severe  cold,  a  conversation, 
held  in  the  ordinary  tone,  may  be  easily  carried  on  at  the 
distance  of  half  a  league." 

"Awkward  for  secrets  !  " 

"  And  how  does  sound  operate  with  regard  to  solid 
bodies  ?  "  inquired  Jack. 

'*  According  to  the  degree  of  elasticity  possessed  by  their 
veins  or  fibres." 

"  Explain  yourself." 

"  That  is,  solid  bodies,  whose  structure  is  such  that  the 
vibration  communicated  to  some  of  their  atoms  circulates 
through  the  mass,  are  susceptible  of  conveying  sound." 


WILLIS    THIS   PILOT.  37 

"  Give  us  an  instance." 

"  Apply  your  ear  to  one  end  of  a  long  beam,  and  you 
will  hear  distinctly  the  stroke  of  a  pin's  head  on  the  other; 
whilst  the  same  stroke  will  scarcely  be  heard  through  the 
breadth  of  the  wood." 

"  So  that,  in  the  first  case,  the  sound  runs  along  the  lon- 
gitudinal fibres  where  the  contiguity  of  parts  is  closer,  than 
when  the  body  is  taken  transversely?" 

"  Just  so." 

"And  across  water?" 

"  It  is  heard,  but  more  feebly." 

For  some  time  Fritz  had  been  closely  observing  with 
the  telescope  a  particular  part  of  the  horizon,  when  all  at 
once  he  cried,  "  This  time  I  see  him  distinctly ;  he  is  bear- 
ing down  upon  us." 

"  Who  ?  the  sloop  ?  "  cried  "Willis,  starting  up  and  let- 
ting fall  the  glass  he  had  in  his  hand. 

"  What  an  extraordinary  pace  !  he  bounds  into  the  air, 
then  plumps  into  the  water,  then  leaps  up  again,  just  like 
an  India-rubber  ball,  that  touches  the  ground  only  to  take 
a  fresh  spring !  " 

"  Impossible,  Master  Fritz ;  the  Nelson  tops  the  waves 
honestly  and  gallantly ;  but  as  to  leaping  into  the  air,  she 
is  a  little  too  bulky  for  that." 

"  Ah,  poor  Willis,  it  is  not  the  Nelson  that  is  under  my 
glass  at  present,  but  an  enormous  fish,  ten  or  twelve  feet 
in  length." 

"  Oh,  how  you  startled  me  ! " 

"  Father !  Ernest !  prepare  to  fire !  Jack,  the  harpoon  ! 
he  is  coming  this  way." 

Fritz  stood  at  the  stern  of  the  pinnace,  his  rifle  levelled, 
following  with  his  eyes  the  movements  of  the  monster ; 
when  within  reach,  he  fired  with  so  much  success  and 
address  that  he  hit  the  creature  on  the  head.  It  then 
changed  its  course,  leaving  behind  a  train  of  blood. 

"  Let  us  after  him,  Willis ;  quick  !  " 

The  Pilot  turned  the  head  of  the  pinnace,  and  Jack  im- 
mediately threw  his  harpoon. 

"  Struck  !  "  cried  he  joyfully. 

By  the  hissing  of  the  line,  and  then  the  rapid  impulsion 
4 


38  WILLIS    THE    PILOT. 

of  the  pinnace,  it  was  felt  that  the  monster  had  more 
strength  than  the  craft  and  its  crew  together. 

Ernest  and  fus  father  fired  at  the  same  time ;  the  ball 
of  the  former  was  lost  in  the  animal's  flesh,  that  of  the 
latter  rebounded  off  a  horny  protuberance  that  armed  the 
monster's  upper  lip. 

Fritz  had  time  to  recharge  his  rifle ;  he  levelled  it  a 
second  time,  and  the  ball  went  to  join  the  former ;  but, 
for  all  that,  the  pinnace  continued  to  cleave  the  water  at  a 
furious  rate. 

Becker  seized  an  axe  and  cut  the  rope. 

"  Oh,  father,  what  a  pity !  such  a  splendid  capture  for 
our  museum  of  natural  history ! " 

"  It  is  a  sword-fish,  children ;  a  monster  of  a  dangerous 
species,  and  of  extreme  voracity.  If,  by  way  of  reciproc- 
ity, the  fish  have  a  museum  at  the  bottom  of  the  sea,  they 
will  have  some  fine  specimens  of  the  human  race  that  have 
become  the  prey  of  this  creature ;  and  it  may  be  that  we 
were  on  the  way  to  join  the  collection." 

"  Did  you  observe  the  formidable  dentilated  horn  ?  " 

"  It  is  by  means  of  this  horn  or  sword,  from  which  it 
takes  its  name,  that  it  wages  a  continual  war  with  the 
whale,  whose  only  mode  of  escape  is  by  flourishing  its 
enormous  tail ;  but  the  sword-fish,  being  very  agile,  easily 
avoids  this,  bounds  into  the  air  as  Fritz  saw  it  doing  just 
now,  then,  falling  down  upon  its  huge  adversary,  pierces 
him  with  its  sword." 

"  By  the  way,  talking  about  the  whale,"  said  Jack,  "  all 
naturalists  seem  agreed,  and  we  ourselves  are  convinced 
from  our  own  observation,  that  its  throat  is  very  narrow, 
and  that  it  can  only  swallow  molluscs,  or  very  small  fishes 
—  what,  in  that  case,  becomes  of  the  history  of  Jonah?  " 

"  It  is  rather  unfortunate,"  replied  Becker,  "  that  the 
whale  has  been  associated  with  this  miracle.  There  i.s 
now  no  possibility  of  separating  the  whale  from  Jonah,  or 
Jonah  from  the  whale  ;  yet,  in  the  Greek  translation  of  the 
Chaldean  text,  there  is  Ketos  —  in  the  Latin,  there  is  Cete 
— and  both  these  words  were  understood  by  the  ancients 
to  signify  a  fish  of  enormous  size,  but  not  the  whale  in 


WILLIS    THE    PILOT.  89 

particular.  The  shark,  for  example,  can  swallow  a  man, 
and  even  a  horse,  without  mangling  it." 

"  I  have  heard,"  said  Jack,  "  of  navigators  who  have 
landed  on  the  back  of  a  whale,  and  walked  about  on  it, 
supposing  it  a  small  island." 

"There  is  nothing  impossible  about  that,"  observed 
Willis. 

"  One  thing  is  certain,  that  we  had  just  now  within  reach 
a  sea  monster  who  has  carried  off  four  leaden  bullets  in 
his  body  without  seeming  to  be  in  the  least  inconvenienced 
by  them ;  on  the  contrary,  he  seemed  to  move  all  the 
quicker  for  the  dose." 

"  Life  is  a  very  different  thing  with  those  fellows  than 
with  us.  The  carp  is  said  to  live  two  hundred  years,  and 
it  is  supposed  that  a  whale  might  live  for  ten  centuries  if 
the  harpoon  did  not  come  in  the  way  to  shorten  the  period." 

"Ah  !"  exclaimed  Willis,  with  a  sigh  that  might  have 
moved  a  train  of  waggons,  "  these  fellows  have  no  cares." 

"  And  the  ephemeride,  that  dies  an  instant  after  its  birth, 
do  you  suppose  that  it  dies  of  grief?" 

"  Who  knows,  Master  Jack  ?" 

"  The  ephemeride  does  not  die  so  quickly  as  you  think," 
said  Becker ;  "  it  commences  by  living  three  years  under 
water  in  the  form  of  a  maggot.  It  afterwards  becomes 
amphibious,  when  it  has  a  horny  covering,  on  which  the 
rudiments  of  wings  may  be  observed.  Then,  four  or  five 
months  after  this  first  metamorphosis,  generally  in  the 
month  of  August,  it  issues  from  its  skin,  almost  as  rapidly 
as  we  throw  off  a  jacket ;  attached  to  the  rejected  skin  are 
the  teeth,  lips,  horns,  and  all  the  apparatus  that  the  crea- 
ture required  as  a  water  insect ;  then  it  is  no  sooner 
winged,  gay,  and  beautiful,  than,  as  you  observe,  it  dies — 
hence  it  is  called  the  day-fly,  its  existence  being  termi- 
nated by  the  shades  of  night." 

"  I  was  certain  of  it,"  said  Willis. 

"  Certain  of  what  ?  " 

"  That  it  died  of  grief  at  being  on  land.  When  one  has 
been  accustomed  to  the  water,  you  see,  under  such  circum- 
stances life  is  not  worth  the  having." 

"The  day-fly,"  continued  Becker,  "is  an  epitome  of 


40  WILLIS    THE    PILOT. 

those  men  who  spend  a  life-time  hunting  after  wealth  and 
glory,  and  who  perish  themselves  at  the  moment  they 
reach  the  pinnacle  of  their  ambitious  desires.  Whence  I 
conclude,  my  dear  children,  that  there  are  nothing  but 
beginnings  and  endings  of  unhappiness  in  this  world,  and 
that  true  felicity  is  only  to  be  hoped  for  in  another  sphere." 

"  What  a  curious  series  of  transformations  !  First  an 
aquatic  insect,  next  amphibious,  then  throwing  away  the 
organs  for  which  it  has  no  further  use,  and  becoming  pro- 
Tided  with  those  suited  to  its  new  state ! " 

"  Yes,  my  dear  Fritz ;  and  yet  those  complicated  and 
beautiful  operations  of  Nature  have  not  prevented  philo- 
sophers from  asserting  that  the  world  resulted  from  floating 
atoms,  which,  by  force  of  combination,  and  after  an  infinity 
of  blind  movements,  conglomerate  into  plants,  animals, 
men,  heaven,  and  earth." 

"  I  am  only  a  plain  sailor,"  said  Willis  "  yet  the  eye  of 
a  worm  teaches  me  more  than  these  philosophers  seem  to 
have  imagined  in  their  philosophy." 

"  Such  a  system  could  only  have  originated  in  Bedlam 
or  Charenton." 

"  No,  Ernest,  it  is  the  system  of  Epicurus  and  Lucretius. 
Without  going  so  far  back,  there  are  a  thousand  others 
quite  as  ridiculous,  with  which  it  is  unnecessary  to  charge 
your  young  heads." 

"  All  madmen  are  not  in  confinement,  and  it  may  be 
that  Epicurus  and  Lucretius  had  arrived  at  those  limits  of 
human  reason,  where  genius  begins  in  some  and  folly  in 
others." 

"  It  is  not  that,  Fritz  ;  but  if  men,  says  Malebranche 
somewhere,*  are  interested  in  having  the  sides  of  an 
equilateral  triangle,  unequal,  and  that  false  geometry  was 
as  agreeable  to  them  as  false  philosophy,  they  would  make 
the  problems  equally  false  in  geometry  as  in  morality,  for. 
this  simple  reason,  that  their  errors  afford  them  gratifica- 
tion, whilst  truth  would  only  hurt  and  annoy  them." 

"  Very  good,"  observed  Willis  ;  "  this  Malebranche,  as 
you  call  him,  must  have  been  an  admiral  ?  " 

*  "  Se<arch  after  Truth,"  book  ix. 


WILLIS   XHB  PILOT.  41 

•'  No,  Willis,  nothing  more  than  a  simple  philosopher, 
but  one  of  good  faith,  like  Socrates,  who  admitted  that 
what  he  knew  best  was,  that  he  knew  nothing." 

The  sun  had  gradually  disappeared  in  the  midst  of 
purple  tinged  clouds,  leaving  along  the  horizon  at  first  a 
fringe  of  gold,  then  a  simple  thread,  and  finally  nothing 
but  the  reflection  of  his  rays,  sent  to  the  earth  by  the 
layers  of  atmosphere,*  like  the  adieu  we  receive  at  the 
turning  of  a  road  from  a  friend  who  is  leaving  us. 

There  was  a  festival  in  the  sky  that  night ;  the  firma- 
ment brought  out,  one  by  one,  her  circlet  of  diamonds,  till 
the  whole  were  sparkling  like  a  blaze  of  light ;  the  pinnace 
also  left  a  fiery  train  in  her  wake,  caused  partly  by  elec- 
tricity and  partly  by  the  phosphorescent  animalcuke  that 
people  the  ocean. 

"  Willis,"  said  Becker,  "  I  leave  it  entirely  to  you  to 
decide  the  instant  of  our  return." 

The  Pilot  changed  at  once  the  course  of  the  boat,  with- 
out attempting  to  utter  a  word,  so  heavy  was  his  heart  at 
this  unsuccessful  termination  of  the  expedition. 

"  It  will  be  curious,"  observed  Frkz,  "  if  we  find  the 
Nelson,  on  our  return,  snugly  at  anchor  in  Safety  Bay." 

"  I  have  a  presentiment,"  said  Jack  ;  "  and  you  will  see 
that  we  have  been  playing  at  hide-and-seek  with  the 
Nelson" 

Willis  shook  his  head. 

"  Are  there  not  a  thousand  accidents  to  cause  a  ship  to 
deviate  from  her  route  ?  " 

"  Yes,  Master  Ernest,  there  are  typhoons,  and  the  water- 
spouts of  which  I  spoke  to  you  before.  In  such  cases, 
ships  often  deviate  from  their  route,  but  generally  by  going 
to  the  bottom." 

Willis  concluded  this  sentence  with  a  gesture  that  defies 
description,  implying  annihilation. 

"  Remember  Admiral  Socrates,  Willis,"  said  Jack  ; 
"  what  I  know  best  is,  that  I  know  nothing,  and  avow  that 
God  has  other  means  of  accomplishing  his  decrees  besides 
typhoons  and  waterspouts/' 

*  ^'i*  twilight  is  entirely  owing  to  this. 


42  WILLIS    THE    PILOT. 

"  My  excellent  young  friends,  I  know  you  want  to  in- 
spire me  with  hope,  as  they  give  a  toy  to  a  child  to  keep 
it  from  crying,  and  I  thank  you  for  your  good  intentions. 
Now,  for  three  days  you  have,  so  to  speak,  had  no  rest, 
and  I  insist  on  your  profiting  by  this  night  to  take  some 
repose ;  and  you  also,  Mr.  Becker ;  I  am  quite  able  to 
manage  the  pinnace  alone." 

"  Yes  providing  you  do  not  play  us  some  trick,  like 
that  of  this  morning,  for  instance." 

"All  stratagems  are  justifiable  in  war.  Master  Ernest 
had  fair  warning  that  I  had  an  idea  to  work  out.  Besides, 
a  prisoner,  when  under  hatches,  has  the  right  to  escape  if 
he  can  :  under  parole,  the  case  is  quite  different." 

"Well,  Willis,  if  you  give  me  your  simple  promise  to 
steer  straight  for  New  Switzerland,  and  awake  me  in  two 
hours  to  take  the  bearings " 

"  I  give  it,  Mr.  Becker." 

The  three  Greenlanders  then  descended  into  the  hold, 
for  tropical  nights  are  as  chilly  as  the  days  are  hot,  and 
Becker,  rolling  himself  up  in  a  sail,  lay  on  deck. 

In  less  than  five  minutes  they  were  all  fast  asleep,  and 
Willis  paced  the  deck,  his  arms  crossed,  and  mechanically 
gazing  upon  a  star  that  was  mirrored  in  the  water. 

"  Several  years  to  come  to  us,  and  that  at  the  rate  of 
seventy  thousand  leagues  a  second  —  that  is  a  little  too 
much." 

Then  he  went  to  the  rudder,  his  head  leaning  upon  his 
breast,  and  glancing  now  and  then  with  distracted  eye  at 
the  course  of  the  boat,  buried  in  a  world  of  thought,  sad 
and  confused,  doubtless  beholding  in  succession  visions  of 
the  Nelson,  of  Susan,  and  of  Scotland. 


CHAPTER  IV. 

A    LANDSCAPE SAD     HOUSES     AND     SMILING     HOUSES POLITE- 
NESS    IN     CHINA EIGHT      SOUPS     AT     DESSERT WIND     HER 

CHANTS  —  ANOTHER     IDEA      OP     THE     PILOT'S  —  SUSAN,     VICB 
6OPHIA. 

TOWARDS  five  o'clock  next  morning  everything  about 
Rockhouse  was  beginning  to  assume  life  and  motion  — 
within,  all  its  inhabitants  were  already  astir  —  without, 
little  remained  of  the  recent  storm  and  inundation  except 
that  refreshing  coolness,  which,  conjointly  with  the  purified 
air,  infuses  fresh  vigor,  not  only  into  men,  but  also  into 
every  living  thing.  The  citrons,  the  aloes,  and  the  Spanish 
jasmines  perfumed  the  landscape.  The  flexible  palms, 
the  tall  bananas,  with  their  umbrageous  canopy,  the  broad, 
pendant-leaved  mangoes,  and  all  the  rank  but  luxuriant 
vegetation  that  clothed  the  land  to  the  water's  edge,  waved 
majestically  under  the  gentle  breeze  that  blew  from  the 
sea.  The  Jackal  River  unfolded  its  silvery  band  through 
the  roses,  bamboos,  and  cactii  that  lined  its  banks.  The 
sun  —  for  that  luminary  plays  an  important  part  in  all 
Nature's  festivals  —  darted  its  rays  on  the  soil  still  charged 
with  vapor.  Diamond  drops  sparkled  in  the  cups  of  the 
flowers  and  on  the  points  of  the  leaves.  In  the  distance, 
pines,  cedars,  and  richly-laden  cocoa-nut  trees  filled  up  the 
background  with  their  dark  foliage.  The  swans  displayed 
their  brilliant  plumage  on  the  lake,  the  boughs  of  the  trees 
were  alive  with  parroquets  and  other  winged  creatures  of 
the  tropics.  Add  to  the  charms  of  this  scene,  Mrs.  Becker 
returning  from  the  prairie  with  a  jar  of  warm,  frothy  milk 
—  Mrs.  Wolston  and  Mary  busied  in  a  multiplicity  of 
household  occupations,  to  which  their  white  hands  and 
ringing  voices  gave  elegance  and  grace  —  Sophia  tying  a 
rose  to  the  neck  of  a  Hue  antelope  which  she  had  adopted 


44  WILLIS    THK    PILOT. 

as  a  companion  —  Frank  distributing  food  to  the  ostriches 
and  large  animals,  and  admit,  if  there  is  a  paradise  on 
eai'th,  it  was  this  spot. 

Compare  this  scene  .with  that  presented  by  any  of  our 
large  cities  at  the  same  hour  in  the  morning.  In  London 
or  Paris,  our  dominion  rarely  extends  over  two  or  three 
dreary-looking  rooms  —  a  geranium,  perhaps,  at  one  of 
the  windows  to  represent  the  fields  and  green  lanes  of  the 
country ;  above,  a  forest  of  smoking  chimneys  vary  the 
monotony  of  the  zig-zag  roofs  ;  below,  a  thousand  confused 
noises  of  waggons,  cabs,  and  the  hoarse  voices  of  the  street 
criers ;  probably  the  lamps  are  just  being  extinguished, 
and  the  dust  heaps  carted  away,  filling  our  rooms,  and 
perhaps  our  eyes,  with  ashes;  the  chalk-milk,  the  air,  and 
the  odors  are  scarcely  required  to  fill  up  the  picture. 

Breakfast  was  spread  a  few  paces  from  Mr.  Wolston's 
bed,  whom  the  two  young  girls  were  tending  with  anxious 
solicitude,  and  whose  sickness  was  almost  enviable,  so 
many  were  the  cares  lavished  upon  him. 

"You  are  wrong,  Mrs.  Becker,"  said  Mrs.  Wolston,  "to 
make  yourself  uneasy,  the  sea  has  become  as  smooth  as  a 
mirror  since  their  departure." 

"  Ah,  yes,  I  know  that,  my  dear  Mrs.  Wolston,  but 
when  one  has  already  undergone  the  perils  of  shipwreck, 
the  impression  always  remains,  and  makes  us  see  storms 
in  a  glass  of  water." 

"I  am  certain,"  remarked  Mr.  Wolston,  "the  cause  of 
their  delay  is  a  concession  made  to  Willis." 

"  Very  likely  he  would  not  consent  to  return,  unless 
they  went  as  far  as  possible." 

"  By  the  way,  madam,"  said  Mary,  "  now  that  you  have 
got  two  great  girls  added  to  your  establishment,  I  hope 
you-are  going  to  make  them  useful  in  some  way  —  we  can 
sew,  knit,  and  spin." 

"  And  know  how  to  make  preserves,"  added  Sophia. 

"  Yes,  and  to  eat  them  too,"  said  her  mother. 

"  If  you  can  spin,  my  dears,  we  shall  find  plenty  of 
work  for  you;  we  have  here  the  Nankin  cotton  plant,  and 
I  intend  to  dress  the  whole  colony  with  it." 

"  Delightful !"  exclaimed  Sophia,  clapping  her  hands ; 


"WILLIS   THE    PILOT.  45 

"  Nankin  dresses  just  as  at  the  boarding-school,  with  a 
straw  hat  and  a  green  veil." 

"To  be  sure,  it  must  be  woven  first,"  reflected  Mrs. 
Becker;  "but  I  dare  say  we  shall  be  able  to  manage 
that." 

"By  the  way,  girls,"  said  Mrs.  Wolston,  "have  you 
forgotten  your  lessons  in  tapestry  ?" 

"  Not  at  all,  mamma ;  and  now  that  we  think  of  it,  we 
shall  handsomely  furnish  a  drawing-room  for  you." 

"But  where  are  the  tables  and  chairs  to  come  from?" 
inquired  Mrs.  Becker. 

"Oh,  the  gentlemen  will  see  to  .them." 

"And  the  room,  where  is  that  to  be?" 

"There  is  the  gallery,  is  there  not  ?" 

"And  the  wool  for  the  carpet?" 

"Have  you  not  sheep?" 

"That  is  true,  children  ;  you  speak  as  if  we  had  only  to 
go  and  sit  down  in  it." 

"  The  piano,  however,  I  fear  will  be  wanting,  unless  we 
can  pick  up  an  Erard  in  the  neighboring  forest." 

"True,  mamma,  all  the  overtures  that  we  have  had  so 
much  trouble  in  learning  will  have  to  go  for  nothing." 

"But,"  said  Mrs.  Becker,  "by  way  of  compensation, 
there  is  the  vegetable  and  fruit  garden,  the  pantry,  the 
kitchen,  the  dairy,  and  the  poultry  yard  ;  these  are  all  my 
charges,  and  you  may  have  some  of  them  if  you  like." 

"  Excellent,  each  shall  have  her  own  kingdom  and 
subjects." 

"  It  being  understood,"  suggested  Mrs.  Wolston,  "  that 
you  are  not  to  eat  everything  up,  should  the  fruit  garden 
or  pantry  come  under  your  charge." 

"  That  is  not  fair,  mamma;  you  are  making  us  out  to  be 
a  couple  of  cannibals." 

"You  see,"  continued  Mrs.  Wolston,  "these  young 
people  have  not  the  slightest  objection  to  my  parading 
their  accomplishments,  but  the  moment  I  touch  their  faults 
they  feel  aggrieved." 

"  I  am  persuaded,"  rejoined  Mrs.  Becker  laughing, 
"  that  there  are  no  calumniators' in  the  world  like  mothers." 

"  Therefore,  mamma,  to  punish  you  we  shall  come  and 
kiss  you." 


46  WILLIS   THE   PILOT. 

And  accordingly  Mrs.  Wolston  was  half  stifled  under 
the  embraces  of  her  two  daughters. 

"  I  am  certainly  not  the  offender,"  said  Mrs.  Becker, 
''but  I  should  not  object  to  receive  a  portion  of  the 
punishment;  these  great  boys  —  pointing  to  Frank  —  are 
too  heavy  to  hang  on  my  neck  now ;  you  will  replace 
them,  my  dears,  will  you  not?" 

"  Most  willingly,  madam ;  but  not  to  deprive  them  01 
their  places  in  your  affection." 

"  In  case  you  should  lose  that,  Master  Frank,"  said  Mrs. 
Wolston,  "  you  must  have  recourse  to  mine." 

"  But  now,  my  friends,  what  do  you  say  to  going  down 
to  the  shore  to  meet  the  pinnace,  and  perhaps  the  Nelson  ?" 
said  Mrs.  Becker. 

"Ah,  yes,"  said  Sophia;  "and  I  will  stay  at  home  to 
wait  upon  father." 

"No,"  said  Mary;  "I  am  the  eldest  —  that  is  my  right." 

"  Well,  my  children,  do  not  quarrel  about  that,"  said 
Wolston;  ''I  feel  rather  better;  and  I  dare  say  a  walk 
will  do  me  good.  Perhaps,  when  I  get  tired,  Frank  will 
lend  me  his  arm." 

"  Better  than  that,"  hastily  added  Frank ;  "  I  shall 
saddle  Blinky;  and  lead  him  gently,  and  you  will  be  as 
comfortable  as  in  an  arm-chair." 

"  What  is  that  you  call  Blinky  ?" 

"  Oh,  one  of  our  donkeys." 

"  Ah,  very  good ;  I  was  afraid  you  meant  one  of  your 
ostriches,  and  1  candidly  admit  that  my  experiences  in 
equitation  do  not  extend  to  riding  a  winged  horse." 

"  In  that  case,"  said  Mrs.  Becker,  "  to  keep  Blinky 's 
brother  from  being  jealous,  I  shall  charge  him  with  a 
basket  of  provisions;  and  we  shall  lay  a  cloth  under  the 
mangoes,  so  that  our  ocean  knights,  as  Jack  will  have  it, 
may  have  something  to  refresh  themselves  withal  as  soon 
as  they  dismount." 

The  little  caravan  was  soon  on  the  march ;  the  two  dogs 
cleared  the  way,  leaping,  bounding,  and  scampering  on 
before,  sniffing  the  bushes  with  their  intelligent  noses; 
then,  returning  to  their  master,  they  read  in  his  face  what 
was  next  to  be  done.  Mary  walked  by  the  side  of  Blinky, 


WILLIS    THE    PILOT.  47 

amusing  her  father  with  her  prattle.  Sophia,  with  her 
antelope,  was  gambolling  around  them,  the  one  rivalling 
the  other  in  the  grace  of  their  movements,  not  only  with- 
out knowing  it,  but  rather  because  they  did  not  know  it. 
The  two  mothers  were  keeping  an  eye  on  the  donkey; 
whilst  Frank,  with  his  rifle  charged,  was  ready  to  bring 
down  a  quail  or  encounter  a  hyena. 

Some  hours  after  the  pinnace  hove  in  sight,  the  voyagers 
landed,  and  received  the  warm  congratulations  of  those  on 
shore.  When  Willis  had  secured  the  boat,  he  took  a  final 
survey  of  the  coast,  penetrating  with  his  eyes  every  creek 
and  crevice. 

"  Is  there  no  trace  of  the  Nelson  ?"  inquired  Wolston. 

"  None !" 

"  Well,  I  had  all  along  thought  you  would  find  it  so ; 
the  wind  for  four  days  has  been  blowing  that  it  would 
drive  the  Nelson  to  her  destination.  Captain  Littlestone, 
being  charged  with  important  despatches,  having  already 
lost  a  fortnight  here,  has,  no  doubt,  taken  advantage  of  the 
gale,  and  made  sail  for  the  Cape,  trusting  to  find  us  all 
alive  here  on  his  return  voyage." 

"  Yes,"  said  the  Pilot,  "  I  know  very  well  that  you  have 
all  good  hearts,  and  that  you  are  desirous  of  giving  me  all 
the  consolation  you  can." 

"Would  you  not  have  acted,  under  similar  circum- 
stances, precisely  as  we  suppose  Captain  Littlestone  to 
have  done  ?" 

"I  admit  that  the  thing  is  not  only  possible,  but  also 
that,  if  alive,  it  is  just  what  he  would  have  done.  I  trust, 
if  it  be  so,  that  when  he  gets  into  port  he  will  report  me 
keel-hauled  ?" 

"  Keel-hauled?" 

"  Yes,  I  mean  dead.  It  is  a  thousand  times  better  to 
pass  for  a  dead  man  than  a  deserter." 

"  The  wisest  course  he  could  pursue,  it  appears  to  me, 
would  be  to  hold  his  tongue  —  probably  you  will  not  be 
missed." 

"Ah!  you  think  that  her  Majesty's  blue  jackets  can 
disappear  in  that  way,  like  musk-rats?  But  no  such 
thing.  When  the  captain  in  command  at  the  station  hails 
on  board,  every  man  and  boy  of  the  crew,  from  the 


48  WILLIS    THE    PILOT. 

powder-monkey  to  the  first-lieutenant,  are  mustered  in 
pipe-clay  on  the  quarter-deck,  and  there,  with  the  ship's 
commission  in  his  hand,  every  one  must  report  himself  as 
he  calls  over  the  names. 

"  Then  the  captain  will  tell  the  simple  truth." 

"  Well,  you  see,  truth  has  nothing  at  all  to  do  with  the 
rules  of  the  service,  the-  questions  printed  in  the  orderly- 
book  only  will  be  asked,  and  he  may  not  have  an  oppor- 
tunity of  stating  the  facts  of  the  case ;  besides,  discipline 
on  board  a  ship  in  commission  could  not  be  maintained  if 
irregularities  could  be  patched  up  by  a  few  words  from  the 
captain.  "When  it  is  found  that  1  had  been  left  on  shore, 
the  questions  will  be,  '  Was  the  Nelson  in  want  of  repairs?' 
'No.'  '  Did  she  require  water  ?'  'No.'  'Provisions?' 
'No.'  'Then  Willis  has  deserted?'  'Yes.'  And  his 
condemnation  will  follow  as  a  matter  of  course." 

"  In  that  case,  the  Captain  would  be  more  to  blame  than 
you  are." 

"  So  he  would,  and  it  is  for  that  reason  I  hope  he  will 
be  able  to  show  by  the  log  that  I  was  seized  with  cholera, 
tied  up  in  a  sack,  and  duly  thrown  overboard  with  a  four- 
pound  shot  for  ballast." 

"  I  cannot  conceive,"  said  Becker,  "  that  the  discipline 
of  any  service  can  be  so  cruelly  unreasonable  as  you  would 
have  us  believe." 

"  No,  perhaps  you  think  that  just  before  the  anchor  is 
heaved,  and  the  ship  about  to  start  on  a  long  voyage,  the 
cabin  boys  are  asked  whether  they  have  the  colic  —  that 
lubbers,  who  wish  to  back  out  have  only  to  say  the  word, 
and  they  are  free — that  the  pilot  may  go  a-hunting  if  he 
likes,  and  that  the  officers  may  stay  on  shore  and  amuse 
themselves  in  defiance  of  the  rules  of  the  service  ?  In  that 
case  the  navy  would  be  rather  jolly,  but  not  much  worth." 

When  Willis  was  once  fairly  started  there  was  no  stop- 
ping him. 

"  Dead,"  he  continued;  "that  is  to  say,  without  a  berth, 
pay,  or  even  a  name,  nothing !  My  wife  will  have  the 
right  to  marry  again,  my  little  Susan  will  have  another 
father,  and  I  shall  only  be  able  to  breathe  by  stealth,  and 
to  consider  that  as  more  than  I  deserve.  You  must  admit 
that  all  this  is  rather  a  poor  look-out  a-head." 


WILLIS    THE    PILOT.  49 

"  Really,  Willis,"  said  Mrs.  Wolston,  w  you  seem  to  take 
a  pride  in  making  things  worse  than  they  are,  conjuring 
up  phantoms  that  have  no  existence." 

"  It  is  true,  madam,  I  may  be  going  upon  a  wrong  tack. 
Judging  from  all  appearances,  the  sloop,  instead  of  being 
on  her  way  to  the  Cape,  is  tranquilly  reposing  at  the  bot- 
tom of  the  sea.  But  it  is  only  death  for  death  ;  hanged 
by  a  court-martial  or  drowned  with  the  sloop,  it  comes,  in 
the  end,  to  the  same  thing." 

"  I  dare  say,  Willis,  had  there  really  been  an  accident, 
and  you  had  been  on  board,  you  would  not  have  felt  your- 
self entitled  to  escape?" 

"  Certainly  not,  madam ;  unless  the  crew  could  be  saved, 
it  would  look  anything  but  well  for  the  pilot  to  escape  alone." 

Willis,  however,  to  do  him  justice,  seemed  trying  to 
smother  his  grief;  and,  in  the  meanwhile,  the  two  girls 
had  been  spreading  a  pure  white  cloth  on  a  neighboring 
rock,  cutting  fruit  plates  out  of  the  thick  mangoe  leaves, 
cooling  the  Rockhouse  malaga  in  the  brook,  and  giving  to 
the  repast  an  air  of  elegance  and  refinement  which  had  the 
effect  of  augmenting  the  appetite  of  the  company.  The 
viands  were  not  better  than  they  had  been  on  many  similar 
occasions,  but  they  were  now  more  artistically  displayed, 
and  consequently  more  inviting. 

Who  has  not  remarked,  in  passing  through  a  street  of 
dingy-looking  houses,  one  of  them  distinguished  from  the 
others  by  its  fresh  and  cheerful  aspect,  the  windows  gar- 
nished with  a  luxuriant  screen  of  flowers,  with  curtains  on 
either  side  of  snowy  whiteness  and  elaborate  workmanship? 
Very  likely  the  passer-by  has  asked  himself,  Why  is  this 
house  not  as  neglected,  tattered,  and  dirty  as  its  wretched 
neighbors  ?  The  answer  is  simple ;  there  dwells  in  this 
house  a  young  girl,  blithe,  frolicsome,  and  joyous,  singing 
with  the  lark,  and,  like  a  butterfly,  floating  from  her  book 
to  her  work-box — from  her  mother's  cheek  to  her  father's, 
leaving  an  impress  of  her  youthfulness  and  purity  on  what- 
ever she  touches. 

For  a  like  reason  the  al  fresco  dinner  of  this  day  had  a 
charm  that  no  such  feast  had  been  observed  to  possess 
before. 

5 


50  WILLIS   THE   PILOT. 

"  We  are  not  presentable,"  said  Fritz,  referring  to  hie 
seal-gut  uniform. 

"Ah,"  replied  Mrs.  "Wolston,  "  it  is  your  costume  of  war, 
brave  knights ;  and,  for  my  part,  I  admire  you  more  in  it 
than  in  the  livery  of  Hyde  Park  or  Bond  Street." 

"  In  that  case,"  said  Ernest,  "  we  shall  do  as  they  do  in 
China." 

"  And  what  is  that  ?  " 

"  Well,  the  most  profound  remark  of  respect  a  host  can 
pay  to  his  guests,  is  to  go  and  dress  after  dinner." 

"  Just  when  they  are  about  to  leave  ?  " 

"  Exactly  so,  madam." 

"  That  is  very  decidedly  a  Chinese  observance.  Are 
they  not  somewhat  behind  in  cookery  ?  " 

"  By  no  means,  madam ;  on  the  contrary,  they  have 
attained  a  very  high  degree  of  perfection  in  that  branch 
of  the  arts.  It  is  customary,  at  every  ceremonious  dinner, 
to  serve  up  fifty-two  distinct  dishes.  And  when  that  course 
is  cleared  off,  what  do  you  think  is  produced  next  ?  " 

"  The  dessert,  I  suppose." 

"  Eight  kinds  of  soup,  never  either  one  more  or  one  less. 
If  the  number  were  deficient,  the  guests  would  consider 
themselves  grossly  insulted,  the  number  of  dishes  denoting 
the  degree  of  respect  entertained  by  the  host  for  his 
guests." 

"I  beg,  Mrs.  Wolston,"  said  Mrs.  Becker  laughing, 
"  that  you  will  not  estimate  our  esteem  for  you  by  the 
dinner  we  offer  you." 

"  Well,"  replied  Mrs.  Wolston  in  the  same  tone,  "  let 
me  see;  to  be  treated  as  we  ought  to  be,  there  are  fifty- 
seven  dishes  wanting,  therefore  we  must  go  and  dine  at 
home.  John,  call  my  carriage." 

At  this  sally  they  all  laughed  heartily,  and  even  Willis 
chimed  in  with  the  general  hilarity. 

"  Then,  after  the  soups,"  continued  Ernest,  "  comes  the 
tea,  and  with  that  the  dessert,  as  also  sixty  square  pieces 
of  silver  paper  to  wipe  the  mouth.  It  is  then  that  the  host 
vanishes,  to  reappear  in  a  brilliant  robe  of  gold  brocade 
and  a  vest  of  satin." 

"  These  people  ought  all  to  perish  of  indigestion." 


WILLIS    THE    PILOT. 


51 


"  No  ;  they  are  moderate  eaters,  their  dishes  consist  of 
small  saucers,  each  containing  only  a  few  mouthfuls  of 
meat,  and,  as  for  Europeans,  the  want  of  forks  and  "spoons 


"  What !  have  they  no  forks  ?  " 

"  Not  at  table  —  nor  knives  either ;  but,  on  the  other 
hand,  they  are  exceedingly  expert  in  the  use  of  two  slender 
sticks  of  ivory,  which  they  hold  in  the  first  three  fingers  of 
the  right  hand,  and  with  which  they  manage  to  convey 
solids,  and  even  liquids,  to  their  mouths." 

"Ah!  I  see,"  said  Jack;  "the  Europeans  would  be 
obliged,  like  Mrs.  Wolston,  to  call  their  carriage,  in  spite 
of  the  fifty-two  saucers  of  meat :  it  puts  me  in  mind  of  the 
stork  inviting  the  fox  to  dine  with  her  out  of  a  long-necked 
jar." 

"  We  are  apt  to  judge  the  Chinese  by  the  pictures  seen 
of  them  on  their  own  porcelain,  and  copied  upon  our  pot- 
tery," said  Becker ;  "  but  this  conveys  only  a  ludicrous 
idea  of  them.  They  are  the  most  industrious,  but  at  the 
same  time  the  vainest,  most  stupid,  and  most  credulous 
people  in  the  world ;  they  worship  the  moon,  fire,  fortune, 
and  a  thousand  other  things ;  people  go  about  amongst 
them  selling  wind,  which  they  dispose  of  in  vials  of  vari- 
ous sizes." 

"  That  is  a  trade  that  will  not  require  an  extraordinary 
amount  of  capital." 

"  True  ;  and  besides,  as  they  carry  on  their  trade  in  the 
open  air,  they  have  no  rent  to  pay." 

"  Their  bonzes  or  priests,"  continued  Becker,  "  to  excite 
charity,  perambulate  the  streets  in  chains,  sometimes  with 
some  inflammable  matter  burning  on  their  heads,  whilst, 
instead  of  attempting  to  purify  the  souls  of  dying  sinners, 
they  put  rice  and  gold  in  their  mouths  when  the  vital 
spark  has  fled.  They  have  a  very  cruel  mode  of  punish- 
ing renegade  Lamas :  these  are  pierced  through  the  neck 
with  a  red-hot  iron." 

"  What  is  a  Lama,  father? " 

*>'  It  is  a  designation  of  the  Tartar  priests." 

For  some  time  Willis  had  been  closely  examining  a  par- 
ticular point  in  the  bay  with  increasing  anxiety  ;  at  last  he 
ran  towards  the  shore  and  leapt  into  the  sea.  Becker  and 


52  WILLIS    THB    PILOT. 

his  four  sons  were  on  the  point  of  starting  off  in  pursuit 
of  him. 

"  Stop,"  said  Wolston,  "  I  have  been  watching  "Willis's 
movements  for  the  last  ten  minutes,  and  I  guess  his  pur- 
pose —  let  him  alone." 

Willis  swam  to  some  object  that  was  floating  on  the 
water,  and  returned  in  about  a  quarter  of  an  hour,  bring- 
ing with  him  a  plank. 

"  Well,"  he  inquired,  on  landing,  "  was  I  wrong  ?  " 

"Wrong  about  what?"  inquired  Wolston. 

"  The  Nelson  is  gone." 

"  The  proof,  Willis." 

"  That  plank." 

"  Well,  what  about  the  plank  ?  " 

"  I  recognise  it." 

"  How,  Willis  ?  " 

"  How  !  Well,"  replied  the  obstinate  pilot,  "  fish  don't 
breed  planks,  and — and  —  I  scarcely  think  this  one  could 
escape  from  a  dockyard,  and  float  here  of  its  own  accord." 

"  Then,  Willis,  according  to  you,  there  are  no  ships  but 
the  Nelson,  no  ships  wrecked  but  the  Nelson,  and  no  planks 
but  the  Nelson's.  Willis,  you  are  a  fool." 

"  Eveiy  one  has  his  own  ideas,  Mr.  Wolston." 

Towards  evening,  when  they  were  on  their  way  back  to 
Rockhouse,  Sophia  confidentially  called  Willis  aside,  and 
he  cheerfully  obeyed  the  summons. 

"  Pilot,"  said  she,  "  I  have  made  up  my  mind  about  one 
thing." 

"  And  what  is  that,  Miss  Sophia  ?  " 

"  Why,  this  —  in  future,  when  we  are  alone,  as  just  now, 
you  must  call  me  Susan,  as  you  used  to  call  your  own 
little  girl  when  at  home,  not  Miss  Susan." 

"Oh,  I 'cannot  do  that,  Miss  Sophia." 

"  But  I  insist  upon  it." 

"  Well,  Miss  Sophia,  I  will  try." 

"  What  did  you  say  ?  " 

"MissSus " 

"What?" 

"  Susan,  I  mean."^ 

"  There  now,  that  will  do." 


CHAPTER  V. 

ALLOTMENT     OP     QUARTERS A      HORSE      MARINE TRAVELLING 

PLANTS CHANGE     OF     DYNASTY     IX     ENGLAND A      WOMAN'S 

KINGDOM  —  SHEEP    CONVERTED    INTO    CHOPS  —  RESURRECTION 
OF  THE  FRIED  FISH A  SECRET. 

AFTER  some  days  more  of  anxious  but  fruitless  expecta- 
tion, it  was  finally  concluded  that  either  the  Nelson  had 
sailed  for  the  Cape,  or,  as  Willis  would  have  it,  she  had 
gone  to  that  unexplored  and  dread  land  where  there  were 
neither  poles  nor  equator,  and  whence  no  mariner  was 
ever  known  to  return.  It  was  necessary,  therefore,  to 
make  arrangements  for  the  surplus  population  of  the 
colony  —  whether  for  a  time  or  for  ever,  it  was  then  ini- 
postible  to  say.  At  first  sight,  it  might  appear  easy  enough 
to  provide  accommodation  for  the  eleven  individuals  that 
constituted  the  colony  of  New  Switzerland.  It  is  true 
that  land  might  have  been  marked  off,  and  each  person 
made  sovereign  over  a  territory  as  large  as  some  European 
kingdoms ;  but  these  sovereignties  would  have  resembled 
the  republic  of  St.  Martin  —  there  would  have  been  no 
subjects.  What,  then,  would  they  have  governed?  it  may 
be  asked.  Themselves,  might  be  answered ;  and  it  is  said 
to  be  a  far  more  difficult  task  to  govern  ourselves  than  to 
rule  others. 

Though  space  was  ample  enough  as  regards  the  colony 
in  general,  it  was  somewhat  limited  as  regards  detail.  To 
live  pele-mele  in  Rockhouse  was  entirely  out  of  the  ques- 
tion. Independently  of  accommodation,  a  thousand  rea- 
sons of  propriety  opposed  such  an  arrangement.  Whether 
or  not  there  might  be  another  cave  in  the  neighborhood, 
hollowed  out  by  Nature,  was  not  known ;  if  there  were,  it 
had  still  to  be  discovered.  Chance  would  not  be  chance, 
if  it  were  undeviating,  and  certain  in  its  operations.  To 
o* 


54  WILLIS    THE    PILOT. 

consign  the  Wolstons  to  Falcon's  Nest  or  Prospect  Hill, 
and  leave  them  there  alone,  even  though  under  the  pro- 
tection of  Willis,  could  not  be  thought  of;  they  knew 
nothing  of  the  dangers  that  would  surround  them,  and  as 
yet  they  were  ignorant  of  the  topography  of  the  island. 
It  was,  therefore,  requisite  that  both  families  should 
continue  in  proximity,  so  as  to  aid  each  other  in  moments 
of  peril,  but  without,  at  the  same  time,  outraging  propriety, 
or  shackling  individual  freedom  of  action.  Under  ordinary 
circumstances,  these  difficulties  might  have  been  solved  by 
taking  apartments  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  street,  or 
renting  a  house  next  door.  But,  alas !  the  blessings  of 
landlords  and  poor-rates  had  not  yet  been  bestowed  on  the 
island. 

One  day  after  dinner,  when  these  points  were  under 
consideration,  "Willis,  who  was  accustomed  to  disappear 
after  each  meal,  no  one  knew  why  or  whereto,  came  and 
took  his  place  amongst  them  under  the  gallery. 

"  As  for  myself,"  said  the  Pilot,  "  I  do  not  wish  to  live 
anywhere.  Since  I  am  in  your  house,  Mr.  Becker,  and 
cannot  get  away  honestly  for  a  quarter  of  an  hour,  I  must 
of  course  remain  ;  but  as  for  becoming  a  mere  dependant 
on  your  bounty,  that  I  will  not  suffer." 

"  What  you  say  there  is  not  very  complimentary  to 
me,"  said  Mi-.  Wolston. 

"  Your  position,  Mr.  Wolston,  is  a  very  different  thing ; 
besides,  you  are  an  invalid  and  require  attention,  whilst  I 
am  strong  and  healthy,  for  which  I  ought  to  be  thankful." 

"  You  are  not  in  my  house,"  replied  Becker  "  any  more 
than  I  am  in  yours ;  the  place  we  are  in  is  a  shelter  pro- 
vided by  Providence  for  us  all,  and  I  venture  to  suppose 
that  such  a  host  is  rich  enough  to  supply  all  our  wants.  I 
am  only  the  humble  instrument  distributing  the  gifts  that 
have  been  so  lavishly  bestowed  on  this  island." 

"  What  you  say  is  very  kind  and  very  generous,"  added 
Willis,  "but  I  mean  to  provide  for  myself — that  is  my 
idea." 

"  And  not  a  bad  one  either,"  continued  Becker ;  "  but 
how  ?  You  are  welcome  here  to  do  the  work  for  four  — 
if  you  like ;  and  then,  supposing  you  eat  for  two,  I  will  bf 
your  debtor,  not  you  mine." 


WILLIS    THE    PILOT.  55 

"  Work !  and  at  what  ?  walking  about  with  a  rifle  on 
my  shoulder ;  airing  myself,  as  I  am  doing  now  under 
your  gallery,  in  the  midst  of  flowers,  on  the  banks  of  a 
river :  or  opening  my  mouth  for  quails  to  jump  down  my 
throat  ready  roasted  —  would  you  call  that  work?" 

"  Look  there,  Willis  —  what  do  you  see  ?" 

"  A  bear-skin."  „ 

"  Well,  suppose,  by  way  of  a  beginning,  I  were  to 
introduce  you  to  a  fine  live  bear,  with  claws  and  tusks  to 
match,  ready  to  spring  on  you,  having  as  much  right  to 
your  skin  as  you  have  to  his  —  now,  were  I  to  say  to  you, 
I  want  that  animal's  skin,  to  make  a  soft  couch  similar  to 
the  one  you  see  yonder,  would  you  call  that  work  ?" 

"  Certainly,  Mr.  Becker." 

"  Very  good,  then ;  it  is  in  the  midst  of  such  labors 
that  we  pass  our  lives.  Before  we  fell  comfortably  asleep 
on  feather  beds,  those  formidable  bones  which  you  see  in 
our  museum  were  flying  in  the  air ;  the  cup  which  I  now 
hold  in  my  hand  was  a  portion  of  the  clay  on  which  you 
sit ;  the  canoe  with  which  you  ran  away  the  other  day 
was  a  live  seal ;  the  hats  that  we  wear,  were  running  about 
the  fields  in  the  form  of  angola  rabbits.  So  with  every- 
thing you  see  about  you  ;  for  fifteen  years,  excepting  tie 
Sabbath,  which  is  our  day  of  rest  and  recreation  as  well 
as  prayer,  we  have  never  relapsed  from  labor,  and  you 
are  at  liberty  to  adopt  a  similar  course,  if  you  feel  so 
disposed." 

"  No  want  of  variety,"  said  Jack  ;  "  if  you  do  not  like 
the  saw-pit,  you  can  have  the  tannery." 

"  Neither  are  very  much  in  my  line,"  replied  Willis. 

"  What  then  do  you  say  to  pottery  ?" 

"  I  have  broken  a  good  deal  in  my  day." 

"  Yes,  but  there  is  a  difference  between  breaking  it  and 
making  it." 

"  What  appears  most  needful,"  remarked  Fritz,  "  is, 
three  or  four  acres  of  fresh  land,  to  double  our  agricultural 
produce." 

"  Is  land  dear  in  these  parts  ?"  inquired  Mrs.  Wolston, 
smiling. 

"  It  is  not  to  be  had  for  nothing,  madam ;  there  is  the 
trouble  of  selecting  it." 


56  WILLIS    THli    PILOT. 

"  And  the  labor  of  rendering  it  proluctive,"  added 
Ernest. 

"  But  how  do  you  manage  for  a  lawyer  to  convey  it  ?  " 

"  I  was  advising  Ernest  to  adopt  that  profession,"  said 
Mrs.  Becker ;  "  wills  and  contracts  would  be  in  harmony 
with  his  studious  temperament." 

"  At  present,  the  question  before  us,"  said  Becker,  "  is 
the  allotment  of  quarters ;  in  the  meantime,  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Wolston,  with  the  young  ladies,  will  continue  to  occupy 
our  room." 

"  No,  no,"  said  Wolston  "  that  would  be  downright  ex- 
propriation." 

"  In  that  case  the  matter  comes  within  the  sphere  of  our 
lawyer,  and  I  therefore  request  his  advice." 

To  this  Ernest  replied,  by  slowly  examining  his  pockets; 
after  this  operation  was  deliberately  performed,  he  said,  in 
a  nisi  prius  tone,  "  That  he  had  forgotten  his  spectacles, 
and  consequently  that  it  was  impossible  for  him  to  look 
into  the  case  in  the  way  its  importance  demanded,  other- 
wise he  was  quite  of  the  same  opinion  as  his  learned 
brother  —  his  father,  he  meant." 

"  And  what  if  we  refuse  ?  "  said  Mrs.  Wolston. 

"  If  you  refuse,  Mrs.  Wolston,  there  is  only  one  other 
course  to  adopt." 

"  And  what  is  that,  Master  Frank  ?  " 

"  Why,  simply  this,"  and  rising,  he  cried  out  lustily, 
"  John,  call  M  rs.  Wolston's  carriage." 

"  Ah,  to  such  an  argument  as  that,  there  can  be  no 
reply ;  so  I  see  you  must  be  permitted  to  do  what  you 
like  with  us." 

"  Very  good,"  continued  Becker ;  "  then  there  is  one 
point  decided :  my  wife  and  I  will  occupy  the  children's 
apartment." 

"  And  the  children,"  said  Jack,  "  will  occupy  the  open 
air.  For  my  own  part,  I  have  no  objection :  that  is  a 
bedroom  exactly  to  my  taste." 

"  Spacious,"  remarked  Ernest. 

"  Well-aired,"  suggested  Fritz. 

"  Hangings  of  blue,  inlaid  with  stars  of  gold,"  observed 
Frank. 


WILLIS    THE    PILOT.  57 

"  Any  thing  else  ?  "  inquired  Becker. 

"  No,  father,  I  believe  the  extent  of  accommodation  does 
not  go  beyond  that." 

"  Therefore  I  have  decided  upon  something  less  vast, 
but  more  comfortable  for  you ;  you  will  go  every  night  to 
our  villa  of  Falcon's  Nest." 

"  On  foot  ?  " 

"  On  horseback,  if  you  like  and  under  the  direction  of 
Willis,  whom  I  name  commander-in-chief  of  the  cavalry." 

"  Of  the  cavalry ! "  cried  the  sailor  ;  "  what !  a  pilot  on 
horseback  ?  " 

"  Do  not  be  uneasy,  Willis,"  replied  Jack,  "  we  have  no 
horses." 

"  Ah,  well,  that  alters  the  case." 

"  But  then  we  have  zebras  and  ostriches." 

"  Ostriches  !  worse  and  worse." 

"  Say  not  so,  good  Willis ;  when  once  you  have  tried 
Lightfoot  or  Flyaway,  you  would  never  wish  to  travel 
otherwise :  they  run  so  fast  that  the  wind  is  fairly 
distanced,  and  scarcely  give  us  time  to  breathe  —  it  is 
delightful." 

"  Thank  you,  but  I  would  rather  tiy  and  get  the  canoe 
to  travel  on  land." 

"Ah,  Willis,"  said  Fritz,  "that would  be  an  achievement 
that  would  do  you  infinite  credit  —  if  you  only  succeed." 

"  Will  you  allow  me  to  make  a  request,  Mrs.  Becker?" 

"  Listen  to  Willis,"  said  Jack,  "  he  has  an  idea." 

"  The  request  I  have  to  urge  is,  that  you  will  permit 
me  to  encamp  on  Shark's  Island,  and  there  establish  a 
lighthouse  for  the  guidance  of  the  Nelson,  in  case  she 
should  return." 

"  What !  the  commander-in-chief  ol:  ".avalry  on  an 
island?" 

"  No,  not  of  the  cavalry,  but  of  the  fleet ;  it  is  only 
necessary  for  Mr.  Becker  to  change  my  position  into  that 
of  an  admiral,  which  will  not  give  him  much  extra 
trouble." 

"  I  shall  do  so  with  pleasure,  Willie." 

"  In  that  case,  since  I  am  an  admiral,  the  first  thing  I 
shall  do,  is  to  pardon  myself  for  the  faults  I  committed 
whilst  I  was  a  pilot." 


58  WILLIS    THE    PILOT 

"  Capital !  "  said  Ernest,  "  that  puts  me  in  mind  of  Louis 
XII.,  who,  on  ascending  the  throne,,  said  that  it  was  not 
for  the  King  of  France  to  revenge  the  wrongs  of  the 
Duke  of  Orleans." 

"  "What,  then,  is  to  become  of  the  boys  ?  I  intended  to 
make  you  their  compass  —  on  land,  of  course." 

"  The  boys,"  cried  the  latter,  "are  willing  'to  enlist  as 
seamen,  and  accompany  the  admiral  on  his  cruise." 

"  You  will  spin  yarns  for  us,  Willis,  will  you  not  ?  " 

"  Well,  my  lads,  if  you  want  a  sleeping  dose,  I  will 
undertake  to  do  that." 

"  But  there  are  objections  to  this  arrangement,"  Mrs. 
Becker  hastily  added. 

"  What  are  they,  mother  ?  " 

"  In  the  first  place,  a  storm  might  arise  some  fine  night 
—  one  of  those  dreadful  hurricanes  that  continue  several 
days,  like  the  one  that  terrified  us  so  much  lately  —  and 
then  all  communication  would  be  cut  off  between  us." 

"  You  could  always  see  one  another." 

"  How  so,  Willis  ?  " 

"From  a  distance  —  with  the  telescope." 

"  Then,"  continued  Mrs.  Becker,  "  you  would  be  a  prey 
to  famine,  for  though  the  telescope,  good  Master  Willis, 
might  enable  you  to  see  our  dinner  —  from  a  distance  —  I 
doubt  whether  that  would  prevent  you  dying  of  starvation." 

"  We  might  easily  guard  against  that,  by  taking  over  a 
sufficient  quantity  of  provisions  with  us  every  night,  and 
bringing  them  back  next  morning." 

"  But  could  you  carry  over  my  kisses,  Willis,  and  dis- 
tribute them  amongst  my  children  every  morning  and 
evening,  like  rations  of  rice  ?  " 

"  If  the  arrangement  will  really  make  you  uneasy,  Mrs 
Becker,  I  give  it  up,"  said  Willis,  polishing  with  his  arm 
the  surface  of  his  oil-skin  sou'-wester. 

"Not  at  all,  Willis.  It  is  for  me  to  give  up  my  objec- 
tions. Besides,  I  observe  Miss  Sophia  staring  at  me  with 
her  great  eyes ;  she  will  never  forgive  me  for  tormenting 
her  sweetheart."  » 

"  Ah !  since  I  have  been  staring  at  you,  I  have  only 
now  to  eat  you  up  like  the  wolf  in  Little  Red  Riding- 


WILLIS    THB   PILOT.  59 

hood,"  and  in  a  moment  her  slender  arms  wer«  clasped 
round  Mrs.  Becker's  neck. 

"  Good,"  said  Becker,  "  there  is  another  point  settled  — 
temporarily." 

"  In  Europe,"  observed  Wolston,  "  there  is  nothing  so 
durable  as  the  temporary." 

"  In  Europe,  yes,  but  not  here.  To-morrow  morning 
we  shall  select  a  tree  near  Falcon's  Nest,  and  in  eight  days 
you  shall  be  permanently  housed  in  an  aerial  tenement 
close  to  ours,  so  that  we  may  chat  to  each  other  from  our 
respective  balconies." 

"  That  will  be  a  castle  in  the  air  a  little  more  real  than 
those  I  have  built  in  Spain." 

"  Then  you  have  been  in  Spain,  papa  ?  " 

"  Every  one  has  been  less  or  more  in  the  Spain  I  refer 
to,  Sophy  —  it  is  the  land  of  dreams." 

"  And  of  castanets,"  remarked  Jack. 

"  Then  my  sweetheart  will  be  alone  on  his  island,  like 
an  exile  ?  " 

"  No,  Miss  Sophia,  we  are  incapable  of  such  ingratitude. 
After  enjoying  the  hospitality  of  Willis  in  Shark's  Island, 
he  will  surely  deign  to  accept  ours  at  Falcon's  Nest ;  so, 
whether  here  or  there,  he  shall  always  have  four  devoted 
followers  to  keep  him  company." 

The  Pilot  shook  Fritz  by  the  hand,  at  the  same  time 
nearly  dislocating  his  arm. 

"  I  wonder  why  God,  who  is  so  good,  has  not  made 
houses  grow  of  themselves,  like  pumpkins  and  melons?" 
said  Ernest. 

"  Rather  a  lazy  idea  that,"  said  his  father ;  "  our  great 
Parent  has  clearly  designed  that  we  should  do  something 
for  ourselves ;  he  has  given  us  the  acorn  whence  we  may 
obtain  the  oak." 

"  Nevertheless,  there  are  uninhabited  countries  which 
are  gorged  with  vegetation  —  the  tarritory  we  are  in,  for 
example." 

"  True  ;  but  still  no  plant  has  ever  sprung  up  anywhere 
without  a  seed  has  been  planted,  either  by  the  will  of  God 
or  by  the  hands  of  man.  With  regard,  however,  to  the 
distribution  of  vegetation  in  a  natural  state,  that  depends 
more  upon  the  soil  and  climate  than  anything  else ; 


60  WILLIS   THE   JMLOT. 

wherever  there  is  a  fertile  soil  and  moist  air,  there  seeds 
will  find  their  way." 

"  But  how  ?" 

"  The  seeds  of  a  great  many  plants  are  furnished  with 
downy  filaments,  which  act  as  wings ;  these  are  taken  up 
by  the  wind  and  carried  immense  distances ;  others  are 
inclosed  in  an  elastic  shell,  from  which,  when  ripe,  they 
are  ejected  with  considerable  force." 

"  The  propagation  of  plants  that  have  wings  or  elastic 
shells  may,  in  that  way,  be  accounted  for ;  but  there  are 
some  seeds  that  fall,  by  their  own  weight,  exactly  at  the 
foot  of  the  vegetable  kingdom  that  produce's  them."*. 

"  It  is  often  these  that  make  the  longest  voyages." 

"  By  what  conveyance,  then  ?" 

"  Well,  my  son,  for  a  philosopher,  I  cannot  say  that 
your  knowledge  is  very  profound ;  seeds  that  have  no 
wings  borrow  them." 

"  Not  from  the  ant,  I  presume  ?" 

"  No,  not  exactly ;  but  from  the  quail,  the  woodcock, 
the  swallow,  and  a  thousand  others,  that  are  apparently 
more  generous  than  the  poor  ant,  to  which  JEsop  has 
given  a  reputation  for  avarice  that  it  will  have  some 
trouble  to  shake  off.  The  birds  swallow  the  seeds,  many 
of  which  are  covered  with  a  hard,  horny  skin,  that  often 
resists  digestion ;  these  are  carried  by  the  inhabitants  of 
the  air  across  rivers,  seas,  and  lakes,  and  are  deposited  by 
them  in  the  neighborhood  of  their  nests — it  may  be  on 
the  top  of  a  mountain,  or  in  the  crevice  of  a  rock." 

"True,  I  never  thought  of  that." 

"  There  are  a  great  many  philosophers  who  know  more 
about  the  motions  of  stars  than  these  humbler  operations 
of  Nature." 

"  You  are  caught  there,"  said  Jack. 

"  There  are  philosophers,  too,  who  can  do  nothing  but 
ridicule  the  knowledge  of  others." 

"  Caught  you  there,"  retaliated  Ernest. 

"  It  was  in  this  way  that  a  bird  of  the  Moluccas  has 
restored  the  clove  tree  to  the  islands  of  this  archipelago, 
in  spite  of  the  Dutch,  who  destroyed  them  everywhere,  in 
order  that  they  might  enjoy  the  monopoly  of  the  trade." 


WILLIS    THK   PILOT.  61 

• 

"  Still,  I  must  fall  back  upon  my  original  idea ;  by 
sowing  a  brick,  we  ought  to  reap  a  wall." 

•'  And  if  a  wall,  a  house,"  suggested  another  of  the 
young  men. 

"  Or  if  a  turret,  a  castle,"  proposed  a  third. 

"'Or  a  hall  to  produce  a  palace,"  remarked  the  fourth. 

"There  are  four  wishes  worthy. of  the  four  heads  that 
produced  them  !  What  do  you  think  of  those  four  great 
boys,  Mrs.  Wolston  ?" 

"  Well,  madam,  as  they  are  wishing,  at  any  rate  they 
may  as  well  wish  that  chinchillas  and  marmots  wore  their 
fur  in  the  form  of  boas  and  muffs,  that  turkeys  produced 
perigord  pies,  and  that  the  fish  were  drawn  out  of  the  sea 
ready  roasted  or  boiled." 

"  Or  that  the  sheep  walked  about  in  the  form  of  nicely 
grilled  chops,"  suggested  Becker. 

"And  you,  young  ladies,  what  would  you  wish?" 

Mary,  who  was  now  beyond  the  age  of  dolls,  and  was 
fast  approaching  the  period  of  young  womanhood,  felt  that 
it  was  a  duty  incumbent  upon  her  to  be  more  reserved 
than  her  sister,  and  rarely  took  part  in  the  conversation, 
unless  she  was  directly  addressed,  ceased  plying  her  needle, 
and  replied,  smiling, 

"I  wish  I  could  make  some  potent  elixir  in  the  same 
way  as  gooseberry  wine,  that  would  restore  sick  people  to 
health,  then  I  would  give  a  few  drops  to  my  father,  and 
make  him  strong  and  well,  as  he  used  to  be." 

"  Thank  you  for  the  intention,  my  dear  child." 

"  And  you,  Miss  Sophia  ?     It  is  your  turn." 

"  I  wish  that  all  the  little  children  were  collected 
together,  and  that  every  papa  and  mamma  could  pick  out 
their  own  from  amongst  them." 

Here  Willis  took  out  his  pocket-handkerchief  and 
appeared  to  be  blowing  his  nose,  it  being  an  idea  of  his 
that  a  sailor  ought  not  to  be  caught  with  a  tear  in  his  eye. 

"  Now  then,  Willis,  we  must  have  a  wish  from  you." 

"  I  wish  three  things :  that  there  had  not  been  a 
hurricane  lately,  that  canoes  could  be  converted  into  three 
masters,  and  that  Miss  Sophia  may  be  Queen  of  Eng- 
land." 

6 


62  \TILLI8   THE    PILOT. 

"  Granted,"  cried  Jack. 

And  laying  hold  of  a  wreath  of  violets  that  the  young 
girl  had  been  braiding,  he  solemnly  placed  it  on  her  head. 

"  You  will  make  her  too  vain,"  said  Mrs.  Wolston. 

"Ah  mamma,  do  not  scold,"  and  gracefully  taking  the 
crown  from  her  own  fair  curls,  she  placed  it  on  the  silvery 
locks  of  her  mother ;  "  I  abdicate  in  your  favor,  and, 
sweetheart,  I  thank  you  for  placing  our  dynasty  on  the 
throne.  Mary,  you  are  a  princess." 

"  Yes,"  she  replied,  and  here  is  my  sceptre,"  holding  up 
her  spindle. 

"  Well  answered,  my  daughter,  that  is  a  woman's  best 
sceptre,  and  her  kingdom  is  her  house." 

"  Our  conversation,"  said  Becker,  "  is  like  those  small 
threads  of  water  which,  flowing  humbly  from  the  hollow 
of  a  rock,  swell  into  brooks,  then  become  rivers,  and, 
finally,  lose  themselves  in  the  ocean." 

"  It  was  Ernest  that  led  us  on." 

"  Well,  it  is  time  now  to  get  back  to  your  starting-point 
again.  God  has  said  that  we  shall  earn  our  bread  by  the 
sweat  of  our  brow,  and  consequently  that  our  enjoyments 
should  be  the  result  of  our  own  industry ;  that  is  the 
reason  that  venison  is  given  to  us  in  the  form  of  the  swift 
stag,  and  palaces  in  the  form  of  clay ;  man  is  endowed 
•  with  reason,  and  may,  by  labor,  convert  all  these  blessings 
to  his  use." 

"  Your  notion,"  said  Mr.  Wolston,  "  of  drawing  the 
fish  out  of  the  sea  ready  cooked,  puts  me  in  mind  of  an 
incident  of  college  life  which,  with  your  permission,  I  will 
relate." 

"  Oh  yes,  papa,  a  story !" 

"  There  was  at  Cambridge,  when  I  was  there,  a  young 
man,  who,  instead  of  study  and  sleep,  spent  his  days 
and  nights  in  pistol  practice  and  playing  on  the  French 
horn,  much  to  the  annoyance  of  an  elderly  maiden  lady, 
who  occupied  the  apartments  that  were  immediately  under 
his  own." 

"  These  are  inconveniences  that  need  not  be  dreaded 
here." 

"  Our  police  are  too  strict." 


WILLIS    THE    PILOT.  63 

"  And  our  young  men  too  well-bred,"  added  Mrs. 
Wolston. 

"  Not  only  that,"  continued  Mr.  Wolston,  "  this  young 
student,  who  never  thought  of  study,  had  a  huge,  shaggy 
Newfoundland  dog,  and  the  old  lady  possessed  a  chubby 
little  pug,  which  she  was  intensely  fond  of;  now,  when 
these  two  brutes  happened  to  meet  on  the  stairs,  the  large 
one,  by  some  accident  or  other,  invariably  sent  the  little 
one  rolling  head  over  heels  to  the  bottom ;  and,  much  to 
the  horror  of  the  old  lady,  her  favorite,  that  commenced* 
its  journey  down  stairs  with  four  legs,  had  sometimes  to 
make  its  way  up  again  with  three." 

"  I  always  understood  that  dogs  were  generous  animals, 
and  would  not  take  advantage  of  an  animal  weaker  than 
themselves  ;  our  dogs  would  not  have  acted  so." 

"  Well,  perhaps  the  dog  was  not  quite  so  much  to  blame 
in  these  affairs  as  its  master ;  besides,  in  making  advances 
to  its  little  friend,  it  might  not  have  calculated  its  own 
force." 

"  Yes,  and  perhaps  might  have  been  sorry  afterwards 
for  the  mischief  it  had  done." 

"Very  likely;  still  the  point  was  never  clearly  ex- 
plained, and,  whether  or  no,  the  elderly  lady  could  not 
put  up  with  this  sort  of  thing  any  longer ;  she  complained 
so  often  and  so  vigorously,  that  her  troublesome  neighbor 
was  served  in  due  form  with  a  notice  to  quit.  The  young 
scapegrace  was  determined  to  be  revenged  in  some  way 
on  the  party  who  was  the  cause  of  his  being  so  summarily 
ejected  from  his  quarters.  Now,  right  under  his  window 
there  was  a  globe  belonging  to  the  old  lady,  well  filled 
with  good-sized  gold  fish.  His  eye  by  chance  having 
fallen  upon  this,  and  spying  at  the  same  time  his  fishing- 
rod  in  a  corner,  the  coincidence  of  vision  was  fatal  to  the 
gold-fish ;  they  were  very  soon  hooked  up,  rolled  in 
flour,  fried,  and  gently  let  down  again  one  by  one  inlo. 
the  globe." 

"  I  should  like  to  have  seen  the  old  lady  when  she  first 
became  aware  of  this  transformation !  " 

"  Well,  one  of  the  fish  had  escaped,  and  was   floating 


64  WILLIS   THE    PILOT. 

about,  evidently  lamenting  the  fate  of  its  finny  com- 
panions." 

"  It  was  very  cruel,"  observed  Mary. 

"  Elderly  ladies  who  have  no  family  and  live  alone  are 
very  apt  to  bestow  upon  animals  the  love  and  affection 
that  is  inherent  in  us  all." 

"  Which  is  very  much  to  be  deprecated." 

"Why  so,  Master  Frank?" 

"Are  there  not  always  plenty  of  poor  and  helpless 
» human  beings  upon  whom  to  bestow  their  love  ?  are  there 
not  orphans  and  homeless  creatures  whom  they  might 
adopt  ? " 

"  There  are ;  but  it  requires  wealth  for  such  benevo- 
lences, and  the  goddess  Fortune  is  very  capricious;  whilst 
one  must  be  very  poor  indeed  that  cannot  spare  a  few 
crumbs  of  bread  once  a  day.  Besides,  admitting  that  this 
mania  is  blamable  when  carried  to  excess,  still  it  must  be 
respected,  for  it  behoves  us  to  reverence  age  even  in  its 
foibles." 

Frank,  whose  nature  was  so  very  susceptible,  that  a 
single  grain  of  good  seed  soon  ripened  into  a  complete 
virtue,  bent  his  head  in  token  of  acquiescence. 

"  Now  the  old  lady  loved  these  gold-fish  as  the  apples 
of  her  eyes,  and  her  astonishment  and  grief,  in  beholding 
the  state  they  were  in,  was  indescribable." 

"  And  yet  it  was  a  loss  that  might  have  been  easily 
repaired." 

"  Ah,  you  think  so,  Jack,  do  you  ?  If  you  were  to 
lose  Knips,  would  the  first  monkey  that  came  in  your  way 
replace  him  in  your  affections  ?  " 

"  That  is  a  very  different  thing  —  I  brought  Knips  up." 

"  No  ;  it  is  precisely  the  same  thing.  She  had  the  fish 
when  they  were  very  small,  had  seen  them  grow,  spoke  to 
them,  gave  each  of  them  a  name,  and  believed  them  to  be 
..endowed  with  a  supernatural  intelligence." 

"  Therefore,  I  contend  the  student  was  a  savage." 

"  Not  he,  my  friend,  he  was  one  of  the  best-hearted 
fellows  in  the  world :  hasty,  ardent,  inconsiderate,  lie  re- 
sisted commands  and  threats,  but  yielded  readily  to  a  tear 


WILLIS   THE   PILOT.  65 

or  a  prayer.  As  soon  as  he  saw  the  sorrowful  look  of  the 
old  woman,  lie  regretted  what  he  had  done,  and  undertook 
to  restore  the  inhabitants  of  the  globe  to  life." 

"  With  what  sort  of  magic  wand  did  he  propose  to  do 
that  ?  " 

"  All  the  inhabitants  of  the  house  had  collected  round 
the  old  lady  and  her  globe,  endeavoring  to  console  her, 
and  at  the  same  time  trying  to  account  for  the  pheno- 
menon ;  some  ascribed  the  transformation  to  lightning, 
others  went  so  far  as  to  suggest  witchcraft.  Our  scapegrace 
now  joined  the  throng,  took  the  globe  in  his  hands,  gravely 
examined  his  victims,  and  declared,  with  the  utmost  cool- 
ness that  they  were  not  dead.  '  Not  dead,  sir  !  are  you 
sure  ?  '  '  Confident,  madam  ;  it  is  only  a  lethargy,  a  kind 
of  coma  or  temporary  transformation,  that  will  be  gradually 
shaken  off;  I  have  seen  many  cases  of  the  same  kind,  and, 
if  proper  care  be  taken  as  to  air,  repose,  and  diet,  particu- 
larly as  regards  the  latter,  your  fish  will  be  quite  well 
again  to-morrow,' " 

"  Did  she  believe  that  ?  " 

"  One  readily  believes  what  one  wishes  to  be  true  ;  be- 
sides, in  twenty-four  hours,  all  doubt  on  the  subject  would 
be  at  an  end ;  added  to  which,  the  young  man  was  osten- 
sibly a  student  of  medicine,  and  had  the  credit  in  the  house 
of  having  cured  the  washerwoman's  canary  of  a  sore 
throat." 

"  Well,  how  did  he  manage  about  the  fish  ?  " 

"  Very  simply ;  he  went  and  bought  some  exactly  the 
same  size  that  were  not  in  a  lethargy  ;  he  then,  at  the  risk 
of  breaking  his  neck  or  being  taken  for  a  burglar,  scaled 
the  balcony,  and  substituted  them  for  the  defunct.  Next 
morning,  when  he  called  to  inquire  after  his  patients,  he 
found  the  old  lady  quite  joyful." 

"  Had  she  no  doubts  as  to  their  identity  ?  " 

"  Well,  one  was  a  little  paler  and  another  was  a  trifle 
thinner,  but  she  was  easily  persuaded  that  this  difference 
might  arise  from  their  convalescence.  The  young  man 
immediately  became  a  great  favorite ;  and  the  old  lady 
would  rather  have  shared  her  own  apartments  with  him, 
6* 


6G  WILLIS    THE    PILOT. 

than  allow  him  to  quit  the  house ;  he  consequently  re- 
mained." 

"What,  then,  became  of  the  pistols  and  the  French 
horn  ?  "  inquired  Jack. 

"  From  that  time  on  there  sprung  up  a  close  friendship 
between  the  two ;  he  was  induced  by  her  to  convert  his 
weapons  of  war  into  pharmacopoeas.  Always,  when  she 
made  some  nice  compound  of  jelly  and  cream,  he  had  a 
share  of  it ;  he,  on  his  side,  scarcely  ever  passed  her  door 
without  softening  his  tread ;  and  both  himself  and  his  dog 
managed,  eventually,  to  acquire  the  favor  of  the  old  lady's 
pug." 

"  He  appears  to  have  been  one  of  tho^e  medical  gentle- 
men who  profess  to  cure  every  conceivable  disease  by  one 
kind  of  medicine." 

"  And  who  generally  contrive  to  remove  both  the 
disease  and  the  patient  at  the  same  time." 

"  You  mistake  the  individual  altogether ;  he  is  now  one 
of  the  most  esteemed  physicians  in  London,  remarkable 
alike  for  his  skill  and  benevolence.  It  is  even  strongly 
suspected  by  his  friends  that  he  is  not  a  little  indebted  for 
his  present  eminent  position  to  his  first  patients  —  the 
canary  and  the  gold-fish." 

It  was  now  the  usual  hour  for  retiring  to  rest.  After 
the  evening  prayer,  which  Mary  and  Sophia  said  alternately 
aloud,  Willis  and  the  four  brothers  prepared  to  start  for 
Shark's  Island,  to  pass  their  first  night  in  the  store-room 
and  cattle-shed  that  had  been  erected  there.  Of  course 
they  could  not  expect  to  be  so  comfortable  in  such  quarters 
as  at  Rockhouse  or  Falcon's  Nest;  but  then  novelty  is  lo 
young  people  what  ease  is  to  the  aged.  Black  bread 
appears  delicious  to  those  who  habitually  eat  white  ;  and 
we  ourselves  have  seen  high-bred  ladies  delighted  when 
they  found  themselves  compelled  to  dine  in  a  wretched 
hovel  of  the  Tyrol  —  true,  they  were  certain  of  a  luxurious 
supper  at  Inspruck.  So  grief  breaks  the  monotony  of  joy. 
just  as  a  rock  gives  repose  to  level  plain. 

Whilst  the  pinnace  was  gradually  leaving  the  shore, 
loaded  with  mattresses  and  other  movables  adapted  for  a 


WILLIS    THK    PILOT.  67 

temporary  encampment,  Jack  signalled  a  parting  adieu  to 
Sophia,  and,  putting  his  fingers  to  his  lips,  seemed  to  enjoin 
silence. 

"  All  right,  Master  Jack,"  cried  she. 

"What  is  all  this  signalling  about?"  inquired  Mrs. 
Wolston. 

"  A  secret,"  said  the  young  girl,  leaping  with  joy ;  "  I 
have  a  secret ! " 

"  And  with  a  young  man  ?  that  is  very  naughty,  miss." 

"  Oh,  mamma,  you  will  know  it  to-morrow." 

"  What  if  I  wanted  to  know  it  to-night  ?  " 

"  Then,  mamma,  if  you  insisted  —  that  is  —  abso- 
lutely  " 

"  Noj  no,  child,  I  shall  wait  till  to-morrow  ;  keep  it  till 
then  —  if  you  can." 

"  Sophia  dear,"  said  Mary  to  her  sister,  when  their  two 
heads,  enveloped  in  snowy  caps  with  an  embroidered 
fringe,  were  reclining  together  on  the  same  pillow,  "  you 
know  I  have  always  shared  my  bon-bons  with  you." 

"Yes,  sister." 

"  In  that  case,  make  me  a  partner  in  your  secret." 

"  Will  you  promise  riot  to  speak  of  it  ?  " 

'  Yes,  I  promise." 

'  To  no  one  ?  " 

'  To  no  one." 

'  Not  even  to  the  paroquette  Fritz  gave  you  ?  " 

'  No,  not  even  to  my  paroquette." 

'  Well,  it  is  very  likely  I  shall  speak  about  it  in  my 
dreams  —  you  listen  and  find  it  out." 

"  Slyboots  ! " 

"  Curiosity ! " 

Like  those  delicate  flowers  that  shrink  when  they  are 
touched,  each  then  turned  to  her  own  side ;  but  it  would 
have  cost  both  too  much  not  to  have  fallen  asleep  as  usual, 
'with  their  arms  round  each  other's  necks  ;  —  consequently 
this  tin0  soon  blew  over,  and,  after  a  prolonged  chat,  their 
lips  finally  joined  in  the  concluding  "  Good-night." 


CHAPTER  VI. 

THE    QUEEN'S    DOLL  —  ROCKHOUSE    TO    FALCON'S    NEST —  THB 

WIND GRASSES ADMIRAL   HOMER THE   THREE  FROGS 

OAT  JELLY ESQUIMAUX  ASTRONOMY  —  AN  UNKNOWN. 

NEXT  morning,  Sophia  came  running  in  with  a  sealed 
letter  in  her  hand,  which  she  opened  and  read  as  follows:  — 

"  HEAD  QUARTERS,  SAFETY  BAY,  DAYBREAK. 
"  The  Admiral  commanding  the  Fleet  stationed  in  Safety 

Bay  to  her  Most  gracious  Majesty  Sophia,  Queen  of 

Great  Britain  and  Ireland. 
"  May  it  please  your  Majesty, 

"  The  crews  of  your  Majesty's  yachts,  the  Elizabeth 
and  the  Morse,  are  quite  entire  and  in  perfect  health. 
The  enemy  having  kept  at  a  respectful  distance,  we  have 
not  had  as  yet  an  opportunity  of  proving  our  courage  and 
devotion.  Mr,  Midshipman  Jack  fell  asleep  on  the  car- 
riage of  a  four-pounder,  like  Marshal  Turenne  before  his 
first  battle  ;  but,  in  all  other  respects,  the  conduct  of  the 
officers  has  been  most  exemplary,  and  merits  the  utmost 
commendation. 

"  It  is  the  admiral's  intention  to  push  out  a  recon- 
naissance towards  the  east,  in  the  direction  of  Pearl  Bay, 
which  he  has  not  yet  explored.  If,  however,  your 
Majesty  should  regard-  this  expedition  as  likely  to  inter- 
fere with  the  good  understanding  that  subsists  between 
that  government  and  your  own,  it  will  be  only  necessary 
to  fire  a  gun,  in  Avhich  case  we  shall  return  to  port. 
Under  other  circumstances,  the  squadron  will  proceed 
with  the  enterprise,  and  endeavor  to  obtain  a  collar  for 
your  Majesty's  doll." 

"  For  my  doll !"  exclaimed  Sophia  angrily ;  "  when  did 
Jack  find  out  that  I  had  a  doll  ?" 


WILLIS    THE    PILOT.  69 

"  Is  that,  then,  your  secret  ?*'  inquired  her  mother. 

"  Yes,  mamma,  Master  Jack  took  a  pigeon  with  him  for 
the  express  purpose  of  playing  me  this  trick." 

"  And  what  is  worse,  included  yourself  in  the  con- 
spiracy. Dreadful !" 

"  Is  it  not  —  to  speak  of  a  young  person  of  thirteen's 
doll?" 

"  Say  nearer  fourteen,  my  dear." 

"  Therefore,  to  punish  your  confederates,  I  shall  fire  a 
gun,  and  put  a  stop  to  their  excursion,"  said  Becker, 
turning  to  one  of  the  six-pounders  that  flanked  Rockhouse 
in  the  direction  of  the  river. 

"  Clemency  being,  one  of  the  dearest  rights  of  the  royal 
prerogative,"  replied  Sophia,  "  I  shall  pardon  them,  and  I 
pray  you  not  to  throw  any  obstacle  in  the  way  of  their 
expedition." 

"  Very  good,  your  Majesty ;  but  there  are  state  reasons 
which  should  be  allowed  to  overrule  the  impulses  of  your 
heart ;  those  gentlemen  have  forgotten  that  we  were  to  go 
and  lay  the  first  stone,  or  rather  to  cut,  to-day,  the  first 
branch  of  your  aerial  residence  at  Falcon's  Nest." 

Admiral  Willis  and  his  officers  having  obeyed  the  pre- 
concerted signal,  the  whole  party  started  on  their  land 
enterprise.  One  of  the  young  men  was  harnessed  to  a 
sledge,  containing  saws,  hatchets,  a  bamboo  ladder  that 
had  formerly  done  duty  as  a  staircase  to  the  Nest,  and 
everything  else  requisite  for  the  contemplated  project. 

Jack  had  already  started  when  Sophia  called  him  back, 
and  he  hastily  obeyed  the  summons. 

••  What  are  your  Majesty's  commands  ?" 

"  Oh,  nothing  particular,  only  should  you  meet  my  doll 
in  company  with  your  go-cart,  be  pleased  to  pay  my 
respects  to  them."  Saying  this,  she  made  a  low  curtsy, 
and  turned  her  back  upon  him. 

"  Your  Majesty's  behests  shall  be  obeyed,"  said  Jack, 
and  he  ran  off  to  rejoin  the  caravan. 

The  sad  ravages  of  the  tempest  presented  themselves  as 
they  proceeded ;  tall  chestnuts  lay  stretched  on  the  ground, 
and  seemed,  by  their  appearance,  to  have  struggled  hard 
with  the  storm. 


70  WILLIS    THE    PILOT. 

"  After  all,"  inquired  Frank,  "  what  is  the  wind  ?" 

"  Wind  is  nothing  more  than  air  rushing  in  masses  from 
one  point  to  another." 

"  And  what  causes  this  commotion  in  the  elements  ?" 

"  The  equilibrium  of  the  atmosphere  is  disturbed  by  a 
variety  of  actions ;  - —  the  diurnal  motion  of  the  sun,  whose 
rays  penetrate  the  air  at  various  points ;  absorption  and 
radiation,  which  varies  according  to  the  nature  of  the  soil 
and  the  hour  of  the  day  ;  the  inequality  of  the  solar  heat, 
according  to  seasons  and  latitude ;  the  formation  and  con- 
densation of  vapor,  that  absorbs  caloric  in  its  formation, 
and  disengages  it  when  being  resolved  into  liquid." 

"  I  never  thought,"  remarked  Willis,  "  that  there  were 
so  many  mysteries  in  a  sou'-easter.  Does  it  blow  ?  is  it 
on  the  starboard  or  larboard  ?  was  all,  in  fact,  that  I  cared 
about  knowing." 

"In  a  word,  the  various  circumstances  that  change  the 
actual  density  of  the  air,  making  it  more  rarefied  at  one 
point  than  another,  produce  currents,  the  force  and  direc- 
tion of  which  depend  upon  the  relative  position  of  hot  and 
cold  atmospheric  beds.  Again,  the  winds  acquire  the 
temperature  and  characteristics  of  the  regions  they 
traverse." 

"  That,"  observed  Frank,  "  is  like  human  beings ;  you 
may  generally  judge,  by  the  language  and  manners  of  a 
man,  the  places  that  he  is  accustomed  to  frequent." 

"  There  are  hot  and  cold  winds,  wet  and  dry ;  then 
there  are  the  trade  winds." 

"  Ah,  yes,"  cried  Willis,  "  these  are  the  winds  to  talk 
of,  especially  when  sailing  with  them  —  that  is,  from  east 
to  west ;  but  when  your  course  is  different,  they  are  rather 
awkward  affairs  to  get  ahead  of.  The  way  to  catch  them 
is  to  sail  from  Peru  to  the  Philippines." 

"  Or  from  Mexico  to  China." 

"  Yes,  either  will  do ;  then  there  is  no  necessity  for 
tacking,  you  have  only  to  rig  your  sails  and  smoke  your 
pipe,  or  go  to  sleep ;  you  may,  in  that  way,  run  four 
thousand  leagues  in  three  months." 

"  Stiff  sailing  that,  Willis." 

"  Yes,  Master  Ernest,  but  it  does  not  come  up  to  your 


WILLIS    THE    PILOT.  71 

yarn  about  the  stars,  you  recollect,  ever  so  many  millions 
of  miles  in  a  second !" 

"  The  trade  winds,  I  was  going  to  observe,"  continued 
Becker,  "  that  blow  from  the  west  coast  of  Africa,  carry 
with  them  a  stifling  heat." 

"  That  might  be  expected,"  remarked  Frank,  "  since 
they  pass  over  the  hot  sands  of  the  desert." 

"  Well,  can  you  tell  me  why  the  same  wind  is  cooler  on 
the  east  coast  of  America  ?" 

"  Because  it  has  been  refreshed  on  crossing  the  ocean 
that  separates  the  two  continents  ?" 

"By  taking  a  glass  of  grog  on  the  way,"  suggested 
Willis. 

"  Yes ;  and  so  in  Europe  the  north  wind  is  cold  because 
it  carries,  or  rather  consists  of,  air  from  the  polar  regions ; 
and  the  same  effect  is  produced  by  the  south  wind  in  the 
other  hemisphere." 

"  It  is  for  a  like  reason,"  suggested  Ernest,  "  that  the 
south  wind  in  Europe,  and  particularly  the  south-west 
wind,  is  humid,  and  generally  brings  rain,  because  it  is 
charged  with  vapor  from  the  Atlantic  Ocean." 

"  How  is  it,  father,  that  the  almanac  makers  can  predict 
changes  in  the  weather?" 

"  The  almanac  makers  can  only  foresee  one  thing  with 
absolute  certainty,  and  that  is,  that  there  are  always  fools 
to  believe  what  they  say.  A  few  meteorological  pheno- 
mena may  be  predicted  with  tolerable  accuracy ;  but  these 
are  few  in  number,  and  range  within  very  narrow  limits." 

"Their  predictions,  nevertheless,  sometimes  turn  out 
correct." 

"  Yes,  when  they  predict  by  chance  a  hard  frost  on  a 
particular  day  in  January,  it  is  just  possible  the  prediction 
may  be  verified  ;  out  of  a  multitude  of  such  prognostica- 
tions a  few  may  be  successful,  but  the  greater  part  of  them 
fail.  Their  few  successes,  however,  have  the  effect  with 
weak  minds  of  inspiring  confidence,  in  defiance  of  the 
failures  which  they  do  not  take  the  trouble  to  observe." 

"  At  what  rate  does  the  wind  travel  ?" 

"The  speed  of  the  wind  is  very  variable  ;  when  it  is 
scarcely  felt,  the  velocity  does  not  exceed  a  foot  a  second ; 


72  W I  M.I 3    THK    PILOT. 

but  it  is  fur  otherwise  in  the  cases  of  hurricanes  and 
tornados,  that  sweep  away  trees  and  houses. 

••  And  sink  his  Majesty's  ships,"  observed  Willis. 

"  In  those  cases  the  wind  sometimes  reaches  the  velocity 
of  forty-five  yards  in  a  second,  or  about  forty  leagues  in 
an  hour." 

'•  Therefore,"  remarked  Jack,  (( the  wind  is  a  blessing 
that  could  very  well  be  dispensed  with." 

"  Your  conclusions,  Jack,  do  not  always  do  credit  to 
your  understanding.  The  wind  re-establishes  the  equi- 
librium of  the  temperature,  and  'purifies  the  air  by  dis- 
persing in  the  mass  exhalations  that  would  be  pernicious 
if  they  remained  in  one  spot ;  it  clears  away  miasma,  it 
dissipates,  the  smoke  of  towns,  it  waters  some  countries  by 
driving  clouds  to  them,  it  condenses  vapor  on  the  frozen 
summits  of  mountains,  and  converts  it  into  rivers  that 
cover  the  land  with  fruitfulness." 

"  It  likewise  fills  the  sails  of  ships  and  creates  pilots," 
observed  Willis. 

"  And  brings  about  shipwrecks,"  remarked  Jack. 

"  It  conveys  the  pollen  of  flowers,  and,  as  I  had  occasion 
to  state  the  other  day,  sows  the  seeds  of  Nature's  fields  and 
forests.  It  is  likewise  made  available  by  man  in  some 
classes  of  manufactures — mills,  for  example." 

"  And  it  causes  the  simoon,"  persisted  Jack,  "  that  lifts 
the  sand  of  the  desert  and  overwhelms  entire  caravans ; 
how  can  you  justify  such  ravages?" 

"  I  do\iot  intend  to  plead  the  cause  of  either  hurricanes 
or  simoons  ;  but  I  contend  that,  if  the  wind  sometimes 
terrifies  us  by  disasters,  we  have,  on  the  other  hand,  to  be 
grateful  for  the  infinite  good  it  does.  In  it,  as  in  all  other 
phenomena  of  the  elements,  the  evils  are  rare  and  special, 
whilst  the  good  is  universal  and  constant." 

Fritz,  as  usual,  with  the  dogs  and  his  rifle  charged, 
acted  as  pioneer  for  the  caravan,  now  and  then  bringing 
down  a  bird,  sometimes  adding  a  plant  to  their  collection, 
and  occasionally  giving  them  some  information  as  to  the 
state  of  the  surrounding  country. 

"  Father,"  said  he,  "  I  chased  this  quail  into  our  corn- 
field; the  grain  is  lying  on  the  ground  as  if  it  had  been 


WILLIS    THE    PILOT.  78 

/ 

passed  over  by  a  roller,  but  I  am  happy  to  say  that  it  is 
neither  broken  nor  uprooted." 

"  Now,  Jack,  do  you  see  how  gallantly  the  wind  behaves, 
prostrating  the  strong  and  sparing  the  weak  ?  If  you  had 
been  charged  with  the  safety  of  the  grain,  no  doubt  you 
would  have  placed  it  on  the  tops  of  the  highest  trees." 

"  Very  likely ;  and,  until  taught  by  experience,  every- 
body else  would  have  done  precisely  the  same  thing." 

"  True ;  therefore  in  this,  as  in  all  other  things,  we 
should  admire  the  wisdom  of  Providence,  and  mistrust  our 
own." 

"  Whoever  would  have  thought  of  trusting  the  staff  of 
human  life  to  such  slender  support  as  stalks  of  straw  ?  " 

"  If  grain  had  been  produced  by  forests,  these,  when 
destroyed  by  war,  burned  down  by  imprudence,  uprooted 
by  hurricanes,  or  washed  away  by  inundations,  we  should 
have  required  ages  to  replace." 

"  Very  true." 

"  The  fruits  of  trees  are,  besides,  more  liable  to  rot  than 
those  of  grain  ;  the  latter  have  their  flowers  in  the  form  of 
spikes,  often  bearded  with  prickly  fibres,  which  not  only 
protect  them  from  marauders,  but  likewise  serve  as  little 
roofs  to  shelter  them  from  the  rain ;  and  besides,  as  Fritz 
has  just  told  us,  owing  to  the  pliancy  of  their  stalks, 
strengthened  at  intervals  by  hard  knots  and  the  spear- 
shaped  form  of  their  leaves,  these  plants  escape  the  fury 
of  the  winds."  . 

"That,"  said  Willis,  "is  like  a  wretched  cock-boat, 
which  often  contrives  to  get  out  of  a  scrape  when  all  the 
others  are  swamped." 

"  Therefore,"  continued  Becker,  "  their  weakness  is  of 
more  service  to  them  than  the  strength  of  the  noblest  trees, 
and  they  are  spread  and  multiplied  by  the  same  tempests 
that  devastate  the  forests.  Added  to  this,  the  species  to 
which  this  class  of  plants  belong — the  grasses  —  are  re- 
markably varied  in  their  characteristics,  and  better  suited 
than  any  other  for  universal  propagation." 

k'  Which  was  remarked  by  Homer,"  observed  Ernest, 
"  who  usually  distinguishes  a  country  by  its  peculiar  fruit, 
7 


74  WILLIS    THE    PILOT. 

but  speaks  of  the  earth  generally  as  zeidoros,  or  grain- 
bearing." 

"  There,  Willis,"  exclaimed  Jack,  "  is  another  great 
admiral  for  you." 

"An  admiral,  Jack?" 

"It  was  he  who  led  the  combined  fleets  of  Agamemnon, 
Diomedes,  and  others,  to  the  city  of  Troy." 

"Not  in  our  time,  I  suppose?" 

"  How  old  are  you,  Willis  ?  " 

"  Forty-seven." 

"  In  that  case  it  was  before  you  entered  the  navy." 

"  I  know  that  there  is  a  Troy  in  the  United  States,  but 
I  did  not  know  it  was  a  sea-port." 

"  There  is  another  in  France,  Willis ;  but  the  Troy  I 
mean  is,  or  rather  was,  in  Asia  Minor,  capital  of  Lesser 
Phrygia,  sometimes  called  Ilion,  its  citadel  bearing  the 
name  of  Pergamos." 

•'  Never  heard  of  it,"  said  Willis. 

"  To  return  to  grain,"  continued  Becker,  laughing. 
"  Nature  has  rendered  it  capable  of  growing  in  all  climates, 
from  the  line  to  the  pole.  There  is  a  variety  for  the 
humid  soils  of  hot  countries,  as  the  rice  of  Asia  ;  immense 
quantities  of  which  are  produced  in  the  basin  of  the  Gan- 
ges. There  is  another  variety  for  marshy  and  cold  cli- 
mates—  as  a  kind  of  oat  that  grows  wild  on  the  banks  of 
the  North  American  lakes,  and  of  which  the  natives  gather 
abundant  harvests." 

"  God  has  amply  provided  for  us  all,"  said  Frank. 

"  Other  varieties  grow  best  in  hot,  dry  soils,  as  the  millet 
in  Africa,  and  maize  or  Indian  corn  in  Brazil.  In  Europe, 
wheat  is  cultivated  universally,  but  prefers  rich  lands, 
whilst  rye  takes  more  readily  to  a  sandy  soil ;  buckwheat 
is  most  luxuriant  where  most  exposed  to  rain;  oats  prefer 
humid  soils,  and  barley  comes  to  perfection  on  rocky, 
exposed  lands,  growing  well  on  the  cold,  bleak  plains  of 
the  north.  And,  observe,  that  the  grasses  suffice  for  all 
the  wants  of  man." 

"  Yes,"  observed  Ernest,  "  with  the  straw  are  fed  his 
sheep,  his  cows,  his  oxen,  and  his  horses ;  with  the  seeds, 


WILLIS    THE   PILOT.  75 

he  prepares  his  food  and  his  drinks.  In  the  north,  grain 
is  converted  into  excellent  beer  and  ale,  and  spirits  are 
extracted  from  it  as  strong  as  brandy." 

"  The  Chinese  obtain  from  rice  a  liquor  that  they  prefer 
to  the  finest  wines  of  Spain." 

"  That  is  because  they  have  not  yet  tasted  our  Rock- 
house  malaga." 

"  Then  of  roasted  oats,  perfumed  with  vanilla,  an  ex- 
cellent jelly  may  be  made." 

"Ah  !  we  must  get  mamma  to  try  that — it  will  delight 
the  young  ladies." 

"  And,  no  doubt,  you  will  profit  by  the  occasion  to  par- 
take thereof  yourself,  Master  Jack." 

"  Certainly  ;  but  I  would  not,  for  all  that,  seek  to  gratify 
my  own  appetite  under  pretence  of  paying  a  compliment 
to  our  friends." 

"  I  know  an  animal,"  said  Willis,  "that,  for  general  use- 
fulness, beats  grain  all  to  pieces." 

"  Good!  let  us  hear  what  it  is,  Willis." 

"  It  is  the  seal  of  the  Esquimaux ;  they  live  upon  its 
flesh,  and  they  drink  its  blood." 

"  I  scarcely  think,"  said  Jack,  "  that  I  should  often  feel 
thirsty  under  such  circumstances." 

"The  skin  furnishes  them  with  clothes,  tents,  and  boats." 

"  Of  which  our  canoe  and  life-preservers  are  a  fair  sam- 
ple," said  Fritz. 

"The  fat  furnishes  them  with  fire  and  candle,  the 
muscles  with  thread  and  rope,  the  gut  with  windows  and 
curtains,  the  bones  with  arrow  heads  and  harness ;  in 
short,  with  everything  they  require." 

"  True,  Willis,  in  so  far  as  regards  their  degree  of  civi- 
lization, which  is  not  very  great,  when  we  consider  that 
they  bury  their  sick  whilst  alive,  because  they  are  afraid 
of  corpses ;  that  they  believe  the  sun,  moon,  and  stars  to 
be  dead  Esquimaux,  who  have  been  translated  from  earth 
to  heaven." 

Whilst  chatting  in  this  way,  the  party  had  impercepti- 
bly arrived  at  Falcon's  Nest,  wherein  they  had  not  set  foot 
for  a  fortnight  previously. 

Fritz  went  up  first,  and  before  the  others  had  ascended, 


76  WILLIS    THE    PILOT. 

f 

came  running  down  again  as  fast  as  his  legs  would  carry 
him. 

"  Father,"  he  cried,  in  an  accent  of  alarm,  "  there  is  a 
fresh  litter  of  leaves  up  stairs,  which  has  been  recently 
slept  upon,  and  I  miss  a  knife  that  I  left  the  last  time  we 
were  here ! " 


CHAPTER  VII. 

THE  SEARCH  FOR  THE  UNKNOWN — THREE  FLEETS  ON  DRT 

LAND THE  INDISCRETIONS  OF  A  SUGAR  CANE LARBOARD 

AND  STARBOARD THE  SUPPOSED  SENSIBILITY  OF  PLANTS 

THE  FLY-TRAP VENDETTA ROOT  AND  GERM MINE  AND 

COUNTERMINE THE  POLYPI OVIPAROUS  AND  VIVIPAROUS 

—  A  QUID  PRO  QUO. 

"  HAVE  any  of  you  been  at  Falcon's  Nest  lately  ?  "  in- 
quired Becker,  when  he  had  verified  the  truth  of  Fritz's 
intelligence. 

"  None  of  us,"  unanimously  replied  all  the  boys. 

"  You  will  understand  that  the  question  I  put  to  you  is, 
under  the  circumstances  in  which  we  are  placed,  one  of 
the  greatest  moment.  If,  therefore,  there  is  any  unseemly 
joking,  any  trick,  or  secret  project  in  contemplation,  with 
which  this  affair  is  connected,  do  not  conceal  it  any 
longer." 

All  the  boys  again  reiterated  their  innocence  of  the 
matter  in  question. 

Becker  then  called  to  mind  the  mysterious  disappear- 
ances of  Willis,  and,  although  they  were  too  short  in 
duration  to  admit  of  his  having  been  at  Falcon's  Nest, 
still  he  deemed  it  advisable  to  put  the  question  to  him 
individually. 

Willis  declared  that  the  present  was  the  first  time  he 
had  been  in  the  vicinity  of  the  Nest,  and  his  word  was 
known  to  be  sacred. 

"  There  can  be  no  mistake  then,"  said  Becker ;  "  the 
traces  are  self-evident.  This  is  altogether  a  circumstance 
calculated  to  give  us  serious  uneasiness.  Nevertheless, 
we  must  view  the  matter  calmly,  and  consider  what  steps 
we  should  take  to  unravel  the  mystery." 

"  Let  us  instantly  beat  up  the  island,"  suggested  Fritz. 
7* 


78  WILLIS    THE    PILOT. 

"  It  appears  to  me,"  remarked  Willis,  "  that  the  Nelson 
has  been  wrecked  after  all,  and  that  one  of  the  men  has 
escaped." 

"  That,"  replied  Ernest,  "  is  very  unlikely.  All  the 
crew  knew  that  the  island  was  inhabited,  and  consequently, 
had  any  one  of  them  been  thrown  on  shore,  he  would  have 
come  at  once  to  Rockhouse,  and  -not  stopped  here." 

"  As  regards  the  Captain  or  Lieutenant  Dunsley,"  said 
Willis,  "  who  were  on  shore,  and  could  easily  find  their 
way,  what  you  say  is  quite  true ;  but  the  men  were  kept 
on  board  ;  and  if  we  suppose  that  a  sailor  had  been  thrown 
on  the  opposite  coast,  he  would  not  be  able  to  determine 
his  position  in  fifteen  days." 

"  Much  less  could  he  expect  to  find  a  villa  in  a  fig-tree." 

"  To  say  nothing  of  the  light  that  has  been  kept  burning 
recently  on  Shark's  Island,  nor  of  the  buildings  with  which 
the  land  is  strewn,  nor  the  fields  and  plantations  that  are 
to  be  met  with  in  all  directions.  For,  although  a  swallow 
alone  is  sufficient  to  convey  the  seeds  of  a  forest  from  one 
continent  to  another,  still  it  requires  the  hand  of  man 
to  arrange  the  trees  in  rows  and  furnish  them  with 
props." 

"  Perhaps  we  may  have  crossed  each  other  on  the  way ; 
and  the  stranger,  after  passing  the  night  here,  has  steered, 
by  some  circuitous  route,  in  the  direction  of  Safety  Bay." 

"  May  it  not  have  been  a  large  monkey,"  suggested 
Jack,  "  who  has  resolved  to  play  us  a  trick  for  having 
massacred  its  companions  at  Waldeck  ?  " 

"  Monkeys,"  replied  Ernest,  "  do  not  generally  open 
doors,  and,  seeing  no  bed  prepared  for  them,  ga  down 
stairs  and  collect  material  for  a  mattress.  You  may  just 
as  well  fancy  that  the  monkey,  in  this  case,  came  to  pass 
the  night  at  Falcon's  Nest  with  a  cigar  in  its  mouth." 

"  Then  he  must  have  been  dreadfully  annoyed  to  find 
neither  slippers  nor  a  night-cap." 

"  There  is,  unquestionably,  a  wide  field  of  supposition 
open  for  us,"  said  Becker ;  "  but  that  need  not  prevent  us 
taking  active  measures  to  arrive  at  the  truth.  Our  first 
duty  is  to  care  for  the  safety  of  the  ladies ;  Mr.  Wolston 
is  still  ailing  and  feeble,  so  that,  if  a  stranger  were  sud- 


WILLIS    THE    PILOT.  79 

denly  to  appear  amongst  them,  they  might  be  terribly 
alarmed." 

"  There  are  six  of  us  here,"  remarked  Willis,  "  the 
cream  of  our  sea  and  land  forces ;  we  could  divide  our- 
selves into  three  squadrons,  one  of  which  might  sail  for 
Rockhouse." 

"Just  so;  let  Fritz  and  Frank  start  for  Rockhouse." 

"  And  what  shall  we  say  to  the  ladies,  father  ?  "  inquired 
the  latter ;  "  it  does  not  seem  to  me  necessary  to  alarm  our 
mother,  Mrs.  Wolston,  and  the  young  ladies,  until  some- 
thing more  certain  is  ascertained." 

"  Your  idea  is  good,  my  son,  and  I  thank  you  for  bring- 
ing it  forward ;  it  is  one  of  those  that  arise  from  the  heart 
rather  than  the  head." 

"  We  have  only  to  find  a  pretext  for  their  sudden  re- 
turn," observed  Ernest. 

"  Very  well,"  said  Jack,  "  they  have  only  to  say  it  is 
too  hot  to  work." 

"  Just  as  if  it  were  not  quite  as  hot  for  us  as  for  them. 
Your  excuse,  Jack,  is  not  particularly  artistic." 

"  Might  they  not  as  well  say  they  had  forgotten  a  tool 
or  a  pocket  handkerchief?" 

"  Or,  better  still,  that  they  had  forgotten  to  shut  the 
door  when  they  left,  and  came  back  to  repair  the 
omission." 

"  We  shall  say,"  replied  Fritz,  "  that,  finding  there  were 
twelve  strong  arms  here  to  do  what  my  father  accomplished 
fifteen  years  ago  by  himself — for  the  assistance  of  us 
boys  could  not  then  be  reckoned  —  we  were  ashamed  of 
ourselves,  and  had  returned  to  Rockhouse  to  make  our- 
selves useful  in  repairing  the  damage  to  the  gallery  caused 
by  the  tempest." 

"  Well,  that  excuse  has,  at  least,  the  merit  of  being 
reasonable ;  and  let  it  be  so.  Fritz  and  Frank  will  return 
to  Rockhouse ;  Ernest  and  myself  will  continue  the  work 
in  hand,  and  receive  the  friend  or  enemy  which  God  has 
sent  us,  should  he  return  to  resume  his  quarters  ;  Willis 
and  Jack  will  investigate  the  neighborhood." 

"  By  land  or  water,  Willis  ?  "  inquired  Jack. 

"  By  land,  Master  Jack,  for  this  cruise.    I  shall  abandon 


80  WILLIS    THE    PILOT. 

the  helm  to  you,  for  I  know  nothing  of  the  shoals  here- 
abouts." 

"  If,"  continued  Becker,  "  though  highly  improbable, 
any  thing  important  should  have  happened,  or  should 
happen  at  Rockhouse,  you  will  fire  a  cannon,  and  we  will 
be  with  you  immediately.  Willis  and  Jack  will  discharge 
a  rifle  if  threatened  with  danger;  and  we  shall  do  the  same 
on  our  side,  if  we  require  assistance." 

"  It  is  a  pity,"  remarked  Jack,  "  that  we  had  not  two  or 
three  four-pounders  amongst  the  provisions." 

"  I  scarcely  regard  this  matter  as  altogether  a  subject 
for  joking,"  continued  Becker,  "  and  sincerely  hope  that 
all  our  precautions  may  prove  useless.  Take  each  of  you 
a  rifle  and  proceed  with  caution ;  above  all,  do  not  go  far 
apart  from  each  other;  do  not  fire  without  taking  good 
aim,  and  only  in  case  of  self-defence  or  absolute  necessity; 
for  this  time  it  does  not  appear  to  be  a  question  of  bears 
and  hyenas,  but,  as  far  as  we  are  able  to  judge,  one  of 
our  own  species." 

Two  of  the  squadrons  then  hauled  oflf  in  different  direc- 
tions, carefully  examining  the  ground  as  they  went,  beating 
up  the  thickets,  and  endeavoring  to  obtain  some  further 
trace  of  the  stranger,  in  order  to  confirm  those  at  Falcon's 
Nest. 

The  squadron  of  observation,  in  the  meanwhile  set  dili- 
gently to  work.  A  tree  having  been  selected  at  about 
fifteen  paces  from  that  already  existing,  it  was  necessary, 
as  on  the  former  occasion,  to  discharge  an  arrow  carrying 
the  end  of  a  line,  and  in  such  a  way  that  the  cord  might 
fall  across  some  of  the  strongest  branches ;  this  done,  the 
bamboo  ladder  was  drawn  up  from  the  opposite  side  and 
held  fast  until  Ernest  had  ascended  and  fastened  it  with 
nails  to  the  top  of  the  tree. 

Ernest  then  commenced  lopping  off  the  branches  to  the 
right  and  left,  so  as  to  form  a  space  in  the  centre  for  their 
contemplated  dwelling ;  whilst  Becker  himself  below  was 
making  an  entrance  into  the  trunk,  taking  care  to  avoid 
an  accident  that  formerly  happened,  by  assuring  himself 
that  a  colony  of  bees  had  not  already  taken  possession  of 
the  ground.  The  gigantic  fig-trees  at  Falcon's  Nest 


WILLIS    THE    PILOT.  81 

being  for  the  most  part  hollow,  and  supported  in  a  great 
measure  by  the  bark  —  like  the  willows  in  Europe  when 
they  reach  a  certain  stage  of  their  growth  —  it  was  easy 
to  erect-  a  staircase  in  the  interior ;  still  this  was  a  work 
of  time,  and  Becker  had  resolved  in  the  meantime  to  give 
up  the  habitation  already  constructed  to  Wolston  and  his 
family,  at  least  until  such  time  as  an  entrance  was  attached 
to  the  new  one  that  did  not  require  any  extraordinary 
amount  of  gymnastics. 

A  portion  of  the  day  had  been  occupied  in  these  opera- 
tions, when  Willis  and  Jack  returned  to  the  camp. 

"  We  have  seen  no  one,"  said  the  Pilot 

"  But,"  said  Jack,  "we  are  on  the  track  of  Fritz's  knife." 

"  Be  good  enough  to  explain  yourself." 

"  Well,  father,  at  the  entrance  to  the  cocoa-nut  tree 
wood  we  stumbled  upon  two  sugar  canes  completely 
divested  of  their  juice." 

"  Which  proves "  said  Ernest ;  but  his  remark  was 

cut  short  by  Jack,  who  continued  — 

"  Not  a  bit  of  it ;  a  philosopher  would  have  passed  these 
two  worthless  sugar  canes  just  as  a  place-hunter  passes  an 
overthrown  minister,  that  is,  as  unworthy  of  notice." 

"  And  what  did  you  do  ?" 

"  Well,  T,  the  headless,  the  thoughtless,  the  stupid  —  for 
these  are  the  epithets  I  am  usually  favored  with  —  I  took 
them  up,  scrutinized  them  carefully,  and  discovered " 

"  That  they  were  sugar  canes." 

"  In  the  first  instance,  yes." 

"  Very  clever,  that !" 

"  And  then  that  they  had  not  been  torn  up  —  they  had 
been  cut." 

"  Is  that  all  ?" 

"  Yes,  most  wise  and  learned  brother,  that  is  all ;  and  I 
leave  you  to  draw  the  inferences." 

"  I  may  add,"  observed  the  sailor,  "  that,  as  we  were 
steering  for  the  plantation,  myself  on  the  starboard  and 
Jack  on  the  larboard " 

"  On  the  what  ?" 

"  Master  Jack  on  the  left  and  myself  on  the  right." 

"  That  I  pitched  right  over  these  canes  without  ever 
noticing  them." 


82  WILLIS   THE   PILOT. 

"  Which  is  not  much  to  be  wondered  at ;  Willis  has 
been  so  long  at  sea  that  he  has  no  confidence  in  the  solidity 
of  the  land ;  during  our  cruise  he  kept  a  look-out  after 
the  wind,  expecting,  I  suppose,  that  it  would  perform  some 
of  the  wonderful  things  you  spoke  of  this  morning." 

"  After  all,"  observed  Becker,  "this  is  another  link  in 
the  chain  of  evidence,  and  I  congratulate  Jack  on  his 
sagacity  in  tracing  it." 

"  But  the  affair  is  as  much  a  mystery  as  ever." 

"  True  ;  and  the  solution  may  probably  be  awaiting  us 
at  Rockhouse." 

The  united  squadrons  th£n  started  on  their  homeward 
voyage,  Jack  thrusting  his  nose  into  every  bush,  and  care- 
fully scanning  all  the  stray  objects  that  seemed  to  be  out 
of  their  normal  position. 

"  If  these  plants  and  bushes  had  tongues,"  said  Jack, 
"  they  could  probably  give  us  the  information  we  require." 

"  Do  you  think,"  inquired  Ernest,  •  "  that  plants  and 
bushes  are  utterly  without  sensation  ?" 

"  Faith,  I  can't  say,"  replied  Jack  ;  "  perhaps  they  can 
speak  if  they  liked  —  probably  they  have  an  idiom  of  their 
own.  You,  that  know  all  languages,  and  a  great  many 
more  besides,  possibly  can  converse  with  them." 

"  I  should  like  to  know,"  said  Becker,  "  why  you  two 
gentlemen  are  always  snarling  at  each  other ;  it  is  neither 
amusing  nor  amiable." 

"  Ernest  is  continually  showing  me  up,  father,  and  it  is 
but  fair  that  I  should  be  allowed  to  retort  now  and  then. 
But  to  return  to  plants,  Ernest;  you  say  they  have 
nerves  ?" 

"  If  they  have,"  said  Willis,  "  they  do  not  seem  to  pos- 
sess the  bottle  of  salts  that  most  nervous  ladies  usually 
have." 

"  No,"  replied  Ernest,  "  they  have  no  nerves,  properly 
so  called ;  but  there  are  plants,  and  I  may  add  many 
plants,  which,  by  their  qualities  —  I  may  almost  say  by 
their  intelligence  —  seem  to  be  placed  much  higher  in 
the  scale  of  creation  than  they  really  are.  The  sensitive 
plant,  for  example,  shrinks  when  it  is  touched  ;  tulips  open 
their  petals  when  the  weather  is  fine,  and  shut  them  again 


WILLIS   THB   PILOT.  83 

at  sunset  or  when  it  rains  ;  wild  barley,  when  placed  on  a 
table,  often  moves  by  itself,  especially  when  it  has  been 
first  warmed  by  the  hand ;  the  heliotrope  always  turns  the 
face  of  its  flowers  to  the  sun." 

"  A  still  more  singular  instance  of  this  kind  was  recently 
discovered  in  Carolina,"  remarked  Becker ;  "  it  is  called 
the  fly-trap.  Its  round  leaves  secrete  a  sugary  fluid,  and 
are  covered  with  a  number  of  ridges  which  are  extremely 
irritable :  whenever  a  fly  touches  the  surface  the  leaf 
immediately  folds  inwards,  contracts,  and  continues  this 
process  till  its  victim  is  either  pierced  with  its  spines  or 
stifled  by  the  pressure." 

"It  is  probably  a  Corsican  plant,"  observed  Jack, 
"  whose  ancestors  have  had  a  misunderstanding  with  the 
brotherhood  of  flies,  and  have  left  the  Vendetta  as  a  legacy 
to  their  descendants." 

"  There  is  nothing  in  Nature."  continued  Ernest,  "  so 
obstinate  as  a  plant.  Let  us  take  one,  for  example,  at  its 
birth,  that  is,  to-day,  at  the  age  when  animals  modify  or 
acquire  their  instincts,  and  you  will  find  that  your  own 
will  must  yield  to  that  of  the  plant." 

"  If  you  mean  to  say  that  the  plant  will  refuse  to  play 
on  the  flute  or  learn  to  dance,  were  I  to  wish  it  to  do  so, 
I  am  entirely  of  your  opinion." 

"  No,  but  suppose  you  were  to  plant  it  upside  down, 
with  the  plantule  above  and  the  radicle  below ;  do  you 
think  it  would  grow  that  way  ?" 

"  Plantule  and  radicle  are  ambitious  words,  my  dear 
brother;  recollect  that  you  are  speaking  to  simple 
mortals." 

"  Well,  I  mean  root  uppermost." 

"  Right ;  I  prefer  that,  don't  you,  Willis  ?  " 

"  Yes,  Master  Jack." 

"  At  first  the  radicle  or  root  would  begin  by  growing 
upwards,  and  the  plantule  or  germ  would  descend." 

"  That  is  quite  in  accordance  with  my  revolutionary 
idiosyncracies." 

"  You  accused  me  just  now  of  using  ambitious  words." 

"Well,  I  understand  a  revolution  to  mean,  placing  those 
above  who  should  be  b*>low," 


84  WILLIS   THE   PILOT. 

"  Nature  then,"  continued  Ernest,  "  very  soon  begins  to 
assert  her  rights ;  the  bud  gradually  twists  itself  round 
and  ascends,  whilst  the  root  obeys  a  similar  impulse  and 
descends  —  is  not  this  a  proof  of  discernment  ?  " 

"  I  see  nothing  more  in  it  than  a  proof  of  the  wonderful 
mechanism  God  has  allotted  to  the  plant,  and  is  analogous 
to  the  movements  of  a  watch,  the  hands  of  which  point 
out  the  hours,  minutes,  and  seconds  of  time,  and  are  yet 
not  endowed  with  intelligence." 

"  Very  good,  Jack,"  said  Becker. 

"  Suppose,"  continued  Ernest,  "  that  the  ground  in  the 
neighborhood  of  your  plant  was  of  two  very  opposite  quali- 
ties, that  on  the  right,  for  example,  damp,  rich,  and  spongy; 
that  on  the  left,  dry,  poor,  and  rocky ;  you  would  find 
that  the  roots,  after  growing  for  a  time  up  or  down,  as  the 
case  might  be,  will  very  soon  change  their  route,  and  take 
their  course  towards  the  rich  and  humid  soil." 

"  And  quite  right  too,"  said  Willis  ;  "  they  prefer  to  go 
where  they  will  be  best  fed." 

"  If,  then,  these  roots  stretched  out  to  points  where  they 
would  withdraw  the  nourishment  from  other  plants  in  the 
neighborhood  —  how  could  you  prevent  it  ?  " 

"  By  digging  a  ditch  between  them  and  the  plants  they 
threaten  to  impoverish." 

"  And  do  you  suppose  that  would  be  sufficient?" 

"  Yes,  unless  the  plant  you  refer  to  was  an  engineer." 

"  Therein  lies  the  difficulty.  Plants  are  engineers  ; 
they  would  send  their  roots  along  the  bottom  of  the  ditch, 
or  they  would  creep  under  it  —  at  all  events,  the  roots 
would  find  their  way  to  the  coveted  soil  in  spite  of  you  ; 
if  you  dug  a  mine,  they  would  countermine  it,  and  obtain 
supplies  from  the  opposite  territory,  and  revenge  them- 
selves there  for  the  scurvy  treatment  to  which  they  had 
been  subjected.  What  could  you  do  then  ?  " 

'•'  In  that  case,  I  should  admit  myself  defeated." 

"  If,"  continued  Ernest,  "  we  present  a  sponge  saturated 
with  water  to  the  naked  roots  of  a  plant,  they  will  slowly, 
but  steadily,  direct  themselves  towards  it ;  and,  turn  the 
sponge  whichever  way  you  will,  they  will  take  the  same 
direction." 


WrLLIS    THE    PILOT.  85 

"  It  has  been  concluded,"  remarked  Becker,  "  from  these 
incontestable  facts,  that  plants  are  not  devoid  of  sensibility; 
and,  in  fact,  when  we  behold  them  lying  down  at  sunset  as 
if  dead,  and  come  to  life  again  next  morning,  we  are  forced 
to  recognise  a  degree  of  irritability  in  the  vegetable  organs 
which  very  closely  resemble  those  of  the  animal  economy." 

"  In  future,"  said  Jack,  "  I  shall  take  care  not  to  tread 
upon  a  weed,  lest,  being  hurt,  it  should  scream." 

"  On  the  other  hand,  they  have  not  been  found  to  pos- 
sess any  other  sign  of  this  supposed  sensibility.  All  their 
other  functions  seem  perfectly  mechanical." 

"  Ah  then,  father,"  exclaimed  Jack,  "  you  are  a  believer 
in  my  system !  " 

"  We  make  them  grow  and  destroy  them,  without  observ- 
ing anything  analogous  to  the  sensation  we  feel  in  rearing, 
wounding,  or  killing  an  animal." 

"  But  the  fly-trap,  father,  what  of  that?" 

"  It  is  no  exception.  The  fly-trap  seizes  any  small  body 
that  touches  it,  as  well  as  an  insect,  and  with  the  same 
tenacity ;  hence,  we  may  readily  conclude  that  these  ac- 
tions, so  apparently  spontaneous,  are  in  reality  nothing 
more  than  remarkable  developments  of  the  laws  of  irrita- 
bility peculiar  to  plants." 

"  It  does  not,  then,  spring  from  a  family  feud,  as  Jack 
supposed  ?  "  remarked  Willis. 

"  Besides,"  continued  Becker,  "  if  plants  really  existed, 
possessing  what  is  understood  by  the  term  sensation,  they 
would  be  animals." 

"  For  a  like  reason,  animals  without  sensation  would  be 
plants." 

"Evidently.  -Moreover,  the  transition  from  vegetable 
to  animal  life  is  almost  imperceptible,  so  much  so,  that 
polypi,  such  as  corals  and  sponges,  were  for  a  long  time 
supposed  to  be  marine  plants." 

"And  what  are  they?"  inquired  Willis. 

"Insects  that  live  in  communities  that  form  a  multitude 
of  contiguous  cells  ;  some  of  these  are  begun  at  the  bottom 
of  the  sea  and  accumulated  perpendicularly,  one  layer 
being  continually  deposited  over  another  till  the  surface  is 
reached." 


86  WILLIS    THE    PILOT. 

"  Then  the  coral  reefs,  that  render  navigation  so  perilous 
in  unknown  seas,  are  the  work  of  insects?" 

a  Exactly  so,  Willis." 

"  Might  they  not  as  well  consist  of  multitudes  of  insects 
piled  heaps  upon  heaps?" 

"  It  is  in  a  great  measure  as  you  say,  Willis." 

"Not  I — I  do  not  say  it — quite  the  contrary." 

"  Well,  Willis,  you  are  at  liberty  to  believe  it  or  not,  as 
you  think  proper." 

"  I  hope  so ;  we  shall,  therefore,  put  the  polypi  with 
Ernest's  stars  and  Jack's  admirals." 

"  So  be  it,  Willis ;  but  to  resume  the  subject.  There  is 
a  remarkable  analogy  in  many  respects  between  the  lower 
orders  of  animals  and  plants,  the  bulb  is  to  the  latter  what 
the  egg  is  to  the  former.  The  germ  does  not  pierce  the 
bulb  till  it  attains  a  certain  organization,  and  it  remains 
attached  by  fibres  to  the  parent  substance,  from  which,  for 
a  time,  it  receives  nourishment." 

"  Not  unlike  the  young  of  animals,"  remarked  Willis. 

"  When  the  germ  has  shot  out  roots  and  a  leaf  or  two, 
it  then,  but  not  till  then,  relinquishes  the  parent  bulb. 
The  plant  then  grows  by  an  extension  and  multiplication 
of  its  parts,  and  this  extension  is  accompanied  by  an  in- 
creasing induration  of  the  fibres.  The  same  phenomena 
are  observed  as  regards  animals." 

"  Curious !  "  said  Willis. 

"  Animals,  however,  are  sometimes  oviparous." 

"Oviparous?"  inquired  Willis. 

"  Yes,  that  is,  they  lay  eggs  ;  others  are  viviparous,  pro- 
ducing their  young  alive.  A  few  are  multiplied  like  plants 
by  cuttings,  as  in  the  case  of  the  polypi." 

"  Bother  the  polypi,"  said  Willis,  laughing,  "  since  we 
have  to  thank  them  for  destroying  some  of  his  Majesty's 
ships." 

"  Then  again,"  continued  Becker,  "  both  plants  and  ani- 
mals are  subject  to  disease,  decay,  and  death." 

"  But,  father,  if  the  analogies  are  remarkable,  the  dif- 
ferences are  not  less  marked." 

"  Well,  Ernest,  I  shall  leave  you  to  point  them  out." 

"  Without  reckoning  the  faculty  of  feeling,  that  cannot 


WILLIS    THE   PILOT.  87 

be  denied  to  the  one  nor  granted  to  the  other,  the  most 
striking  of  these  distinctions  consists  in  the  circumstance 
that  animals  can  change  place,  whilst  this  faculty  is  abso- 
lutely refused  to  plants." 

"  If  we  except  those,"  remarked  Jack,  "  that  insist  upon 
travelling  to  the  succulent  parts  of  the  earth,  and  are  as 
indefatigable  in  digging  tunnels  as  the  renowned  Brunei." 

"Then  plants  are  obliged  to  accept  the  nourishment 
that  their  fixed  position  furnishes  to  them ;  whilst  animals, 
on  the  contrary,  by  means  of  their  external  organs,  can 
range  far  and  near  in  search  of  the  aliments  most  congenial 
to  their  appetites." 

"  Which  is  often  very  capricious,"  remarked  Willis. 

"  Then,  considered  with  regard  to  magnitude,  the  two 
kingdoms  present  remarkable  distinctions ;  the  interval 
between  a  whale  and  a  mite  is  greater  than  between  the 
moss  and  the  oak." 

"  Ho ! "  cried  Jack,  "  there  is  Miss  Sophia  coming  to 
meet  us,  Willis." 

"  Perhaps  they  have  news  at  the  grotto." 

"  Well,"  inquired  the  child,  "  have  you  seen  them  ?  " 

"  Good,"  thought  Becker,  "  our  chatterers  have  not  been 
able  to  hold  their  tongues ;  I  am  surprised  at  that  as 
regards  Frank." 

"  We  expected  to  have  found  them  at  Rockhouse." 

"To  have  found  whom?" 

"  The  sailors  from  the  wreck." 

"What  wreck?" 

"  The  Nelson." 

"  I  sincerely  hope  that  the  Nelson  has  not  been  wrecked." 

"In  that  case,  whom  do  you  refer  to  yourself,  Miss 
Sophia?" 

"  To  your  go-cart  and  my  doll,  Master  Jack." 


,  -AFTER  VIII. 

•XHASITANT  OF  THE  MOON,  ANTHROPOPHAGIAN  OR  HOBGOBLIN? — 

THE  LACEDEMONIAN  STEW  OF  MADAME  DACIER UTILE  DULCI 

TETE-A-TETE     BETWEEN     WILLIS     AND    HIS    PIPE TOBACCO 

TKRSU8  BIRCH  —  IS  IT  FOR  EATING?  —  MOSQUITOES  —  THB 
ALARM — .TOBY  —  THE  NOCTURNAL  EXPEDITION  —  WE'VE  GOT 
HIM. 

SOME  days  passed  without  anything  having  occurred  to 
ruffle  the  tranquil  existence  of  the  island  families.  Every 
morning  the  elite  of  the  sea  and  land  forces  continued  to 
divide  themselves  into  three  squadrons  of  observation  ;  one 
of  which  remained  at  Rockhouse  on  some  pretext  or  other, 
whilst  the  other  two  were  occupied  in  exploring  the  coun- 
try, or  in  carrying  on  the  works  at  Falcon's  Nest. 

The  mysterious  stranger,  whether  shipwrecked  seaman, 

»avage,  or  hobgoblin,  who  kept  all  the  bearded  inhabitants 

f    Rockhouse  on  the  alert,  had   reappeared  in  his  old 

•Barters,  where  another  litter  of  leaves  had  been  miracu- 

no.^ly  strewn  exactly  in  the  same  place  the  former  had 

occupied. 

Beyond  this,  however,  and  sundry  gashes  here  and  there 
— of  which  Fritz's  knife  was  clearly  guilty,  but  which 
could  not  have  been  perpetrated  without  an  accomplice  — 
nothing  had  transpired  to  enable  them  to  arrive  at  a  satis- 
factory conclusion  as  to  who  or  what  this  personage  could 
be. 

Though  the  hypothesis  was  highly  improbable,  still 
Willis  persisted  in  his  theory  of  the  shipwreck ;  he  only 
doubted  whether  the  individual  on  shore  was  a  marine  or 
the  cabin-boy,  an  officer  or  a  foremast  man,  and,  if  the 
latter,  whether  it  was  Bill,  Tom,  Bob,  or  Ned. 

Ernest  rather  inclined  to  think  that  the  invisible  stranger 
was  an  inhabitant  of  the  moon,  who,  in  consequence  of  a 
false  step,  had  tumbled  from  his  own  to  our  planet. 


WILLIS   THE    PILOT.  89 

The  warlike  Fritz  was  impatient  and  irritated.  He 
would  over  and  over  again  have  preferred  an  immediate 
solution  of  the  affair,  even  were  it  bathed  in  blood,  rather 
than  be  kept  any  longer  in  suspense. 

Frank,  on  the  contrary,  took  a  metaphysical  view  of  the 
case  ;  and,  believing  that  Providence  had  not  entirely 
dispensed  with  miracles  in  dealing  with  the  things  of  this 
world,  came  to  the  conclusion  that  it  was  no  earthly  visitor 
they  had  to  deal  with ;  and  he  even  went  so  far  as  to  hint 
that  prayer  was  a  more  efficacious  means  of  solving  the 
mystery  than  the  methods  his  brothers  were  pursuing. 

Jack,  coinciding  in  some  degree  with  Ernest,  shifted  his 
view  from  an  ape  to  an  anthropophagian,  and  blamed  the 
latter  for  not  coming  earlier ;  when  he  and  his  brothers 
were  younger,  and  consequently  more  tender,  they  would 
have  made  a  better  meal,  and  been  more  easily  digested. 

As  to  what  opinion  Becker  himself  entertained,  with 
regard  to  the  occurrence  at  Falcon's  Nest  that  kept  his 
sons  in  a  feverish  state  of  anxiety,  and  had  awakened  all 
the  fears  of  the  Pilot  for  the  safety  of  his  friends  on  board 
the  Nelson,  nothing  could  be  clearly  ascertained  ;  in  so  far 
as  this  matter  was  concerned  he  kept  his  own  counsel ; 
and.  to  use  an  expression  of  Madame  de  Sevigne,  "  had 
thrown  his  tongue  to  the  dogs." 

The  close  of  the  day  had,  as  usual,  collected  all  the 
members  of  the  family  round  the  domestic  hearth ;  and  it 
may  be  stated  here  that  Mrs.  Wolston,  Mary,  and  Mrs. 
Becker  alternately  undertook  the  preparations  of  the 
viands  for  the  diurnal  consumption  of  the  community.  By 
this  means,  uniformity,  that  palls  the  appetite,  was  entirely 
banished  from  their  dishes.  One  day  they  would  have 
the  cooked,  or  rather  half-cooked,  British  joints  of  Mrs. 
Wolston  and  her  daughter,  varied  occasionally,  to  the  great 
delight  of  Willis,  with  a  tureen  of  hotch-potch  or  cocky- 
leekie.  The  next  there  would  be  a  display  of  the  cos- 
mopolite and  somewhat  picturesque  cookery  of  Mrs. 
Becker ;  there  was  her  famous  peccary  pie,  with  ravansara 
sauce,  followed  by  her  delicious  preserved  mango  and 
seaweed  jelly.  Nor  did  she  hesitate  to  draw  upon  the  raw 
'material  of  the  colony  now  and  then  for  a  new  hash  or 


90  WILLIS    THE   PILOT. 

soup,  taking  care,  however,  to  keep  in  view  the  maxim 
that  prudence  is  the  mother  of  safety  —  an  adage  that  was 
rather  roughly  handled  by  the  renowned  French  linguist, 
Madame  Dacier,  who,  on  one  occasion  nearly  poisoned  her 
husband  with  a  Lacedemonian  stew,  the  receipt  for  which 
she  had  found  in  Xenophon. 

Luckily  Becker's  wife  did  not  know  Greek,  consequently 
he  ran  no  risk  of  being  entertained  with  a  classic  dinner ; 
but  he  was  often  reminded  by  his  thoughtful  partner  of 
Meg  Dod's  celebrated  receipt :  before  you  cook  your  hare, 
first  —  catch  it. 

Sophia  desired  earnestly  to  have  a  share  in  the  culinary 
government ;  but  having  shown  on  her  first  trial,  too  de- 
cided a  leaning  towards  puddings  and  pancakes,  her 
second  essay  was  put  off  till  she  became  more  thoroughly 
penetrated  with  the  value  of  the  eternal  precept  utile  dulci, 
which  signifies  that,  before  dessert  it  is  requisite  to  have 
something  substantial. 

As  soon  as  they  had  finished  their  afternoon  meal, 
"Willis  departed  on  one  of  his  customary  mysterious  excur- 
sions ;  and  Jack,  who,  like  the  'birds  that  no  sooner  hop 
upon  one  branch  than  they  leap  upon  another,  had  also 
disappeared.  It  was  not  long,  however,  before  he  made 
his  appearance  again  ;  he  came  running  in  almost  out  of 
breath,  and  cried  at  the  top  of  his  voice, 

"  I  have  discovered  him !  " 

"  Whom  ?  "  exclaimed  half  a  dozen  voices. 

"  The  inhabitant  of  the  moon  ?  "  inquired  Ernest. 

«  No." 

"  I  know,"  said  Sophia  playfully,  "  your  go-cart  and  my 
doll." 

"  No,  I  have  discovered  Willis'  secret." 

"  If  you  have  been  watching  him,  it  is  very  wrong." 

"  No,  father ;  seeing  some  thin  columns  of  smoke  rising 
out  of  a  thicket,  I  thought  a  bush  was  on  fire ;  but  on 
going  nearer,  I  saw  that  it  was  only  a  tobacco-pipe." 

"  Was  the  pipe  alone,  brother  ?  " 

1  "  No,  not  exactly,  it  was  in  Willis'  mouth ;  and  there 
he  sat,  so  completely  immersed  in  ideas  and  smoke,  that 
he  neither  heard  nor  saw  me." 


WILLIS    THE    PILOT.  91 

"  That  he  does  not  smoke  here,"  remarked  Becker,  "  I 
can  easily  understand  ;  but  why  conceal  it  ?" 

"  Ah,"  replied  Mrs.  Wolston,  "you  do  not  know  "Willis 
yet;  —  beneath  that  rough  exterior  there  are  feelings  that 
would  grace  a  coronet :  he  is,  no  doubt,  afraid  of  leading 
your  sons  into  the  habit." 

"  That  is  very  thoughtful   and  considerate  on  his  part." 

"  He  was  always  smoking  on  board  ship,  and  it  must 
have  been  a  great  sacrifice  for  him  to  leave  it  off  to  the 
extent  he  has  done  lately." 

"  Then  we  shall  not  allow  him  to  punish  himself  any 
longer;  and  as  for  the  danger  of  contagion  from  his 
smoking  here,  that  evil  may  perhaps  be  avoided." 

"  Do  not  be  afraid,  father ;  it  will  not  be  necessary  to 
establish  either  a  quarantine  or  a  lazaretto  on  our  account." 

"  Besides,  any  of  the  boys,"  said  Mrs.  Becker,  "  that 
acquire  the  habit,  will,  by  so  doing,  voluntarily  banish 
themselves  from  my  levees." 

"  It  is  an  extraordinary  habit  that,  smoking,"  observed 
Mrs.  Wolston. 

"  Yes,"  said  Becker  ;  "  and  what  makes  the  habit  more 
singular  is,  that  it  holds  out  no  allurements  to  seduce  its 
votaries.  Generally,  the  path  to  vice,  or  to  a  bad  habit, 
is  strewn  with  roses  that  hide  their  thorns,  but  such  is  not 
the  case  with  smoking ;  in  order  to  acquire  this  habit,  a 
variety  of  disagreeable  difficulties  have  to  be  overcome, 
and  a  considerable  amount  of  disgust  and  sickness  must  be 
borne  before  the  stomach  is  tutored  to  withstand  the 
nauseous  fumes." 

"  In  point  of  fact,"  observed  "Wolston,  "  if,  instead  of 
being  made  part  and  parcel  of  the  appliances  of  a  fashion- 
able man,  cigars  and  meershaums  were  classed  in  the 
pharmacopoeia  with  emetics  and  cataplasms,  there  is  not  a 
human  being  but  would  bemoan  his  fate  if  compelled  to 
undergo  a  dose." 

"  Just  so,"  added  Becker ;  "  the  great  and  sole  attraction 
of  tobacco  to  young  people  consists  in  its  being  to  them  a 
forbidden  thing ;  the  apple  of  Eve  is  of  all  time — it  hangs 
from  every  tree,  and  takes  myriads  of  shapes.  If  I  had 
the  honor  of  being  principal  of  a  college  I  should  no 


92  WILLI3    THE    PILOT. 

more  think  of  forbidding  the  pupils  to  use  tobacco  than  I 
should  think  of  commanding  them  not  to  use  the  birch  for 
purposes  of  self-chastisement." 

"  Perhaps  you  would  be  quite  right." 

"  Instead  of  lecturing  them  on  the  pernicious  effects  of 
tobacco,  I  should  hang  up  a  pipe  of  punishment  in  the 
class-room,  and  oblige  offending  pupils  to  inhale  a  fixed 
number  of  whiffs  proportionate  to  the  gravity  of  their 
delinquency." 

"  An  excellent  idea,"  observed  Wolston  ;  "  for  it  is  often 
only  necessary  to  show  some  things  in  a  different  light  in 
order  to  give  them  a  new  aspect  and  value.  This  puts  me 
in  mind  of  an  illustration  in  point ;  these  two  girls,  when 
children,  were  the  parties  concerned,  and  I  will  relate  the 
circumstance  to  you." 

"  In  that  case,"  said  Mary,  "  I  shall  go  and  feed  the 
fowls."  - 

"  And  I,"  said  Sophia,  "  must  go  and  water  the  flowers." 

"Oh,  then,"  cried  Jack  laughing,  "it  is  another  doll 
story,  is  it  ?  " 

"  No,  Master  Jack,  it  is  not  a  doll  story  ;  and,  besides, 
we  girls  were  no  bigger  at  the  time  than  that." 

On  saying  this  Sophia  placed  her  two  hands  about  a 
foot  and  a  half  from  the  floor  and  then  the  two  girls 
vanished. 

"  When  Mary  was  about  six  years  old,"  began  Wolston, 
"  a  slight  rash  threatened  to  develope  itself,  and  the  doctor 
ordered  a  small  blister  to  be  applied  to  one  of  her  arms. 
Now,  there  was  likely  to  be  some  difficulty  about  getting 
her  to  submit  quietly  to  this  operation,  so,  after  an  instant's 
reflection,  I  called  both  her  and  her  sister,  and  told  them 
that  the  most  diligent  of  the  two  should  have  a  vesicatory 
put  on  her  arm  at  night.  '  Oh,'  cried  both  the  girls  quite 
delighted,  "it  will  be  me,  papa,  I  shall  be  so  good. 
Mamma,  mamma  —  such  a  treat  —  papa  has  promised  us 
a  vesicatory  for  to-night !  " 

"  That  was  simplicity  itself,"  said  Mrs.  Becker,  laughing 
till  the  tears  came  into  her  eyes. 

"  The  day  passed,  the  one  endeavoring  to  excel  the 
other  in  the  quantity  of  leaves  they  turned  over ;  and, 


WILLIS    THE   PILOT.  93 

from  time  to  time,  I  heard  the  one  asking  the  other  in  a 
low  voice,  '  Have  you  ever  seen  a  vesicatory  ?  What  is 
it  made  of?  Is  it  for  eating  ?  And  each  in  turn  regarded 
her  arms,  to  judge  in  advance  the  effect  of  the  marvellous 
ornament." 

"  I  should  like  much  to  have  seen  them." 

"  Night  came,  and  I  declared  gravely  that  the  eldest 
was  fairly  entitled  to  the  prize.  The  latter  jumped  about 
with  joy,  and  Sophia  began  to  cry.  "  Don't  cry,'  said 
Mary,  '  if  you  are  good,  papa  will,  perhaps,  give  you  one 
to-morrow,  too.'  Then  the  joyful  patient,  turning  to  me, 
said,  'On  which  arm,  papa?"  and  I  told  her  that  the 
ceremony  of  placing  it  on  must  take  place  when  she  was 
in  bed.  To  bed  accordingly  she  went,  the  ornament  was 
applied  ,  she  looked  at  it,  was  pleased  with  it,  thanked  me 
for  it,  and  fell  asleep  as  happy  as  a  queen.  But,  alas ! 
like  that  of  many  queens,  the  felicity  did  not  last  long; 
before  morning,  I  heard  her  saying  to  her  sister,  in  a 
doleful  tone,  "  Soffy,  will  you  have  my  vesicatory  ? '  *  Oh, 
yes,  just  lend  it  to  me  for  a  tiny  moment.'  At  this  I 
hurried  to  the  spot,  and,  as  you  may  readily  suppose, 
opposed  the  transfer." 

"  Poor  Sophia  ! " 

"  Yes ;  she  was  quite  heart-broken,  and  said,  sobbing, 
'  It  is  always  Mary  that  gets  everything,  nobody  ever 
gives  anything  to  me.'  " 

Next  day,  Willis  laid  hold  of  his  sou'-wester,  and  was 
starting  off  on  his  customary  pilgrimage,  when  Becker 
stopped  him. 

"  Willis,"  said  he,  "  have  you  any  objections  to  state 
what  the  engagements  are,  that  require  you  to  leave  us  at 
pretty  much  the  same  hour  every  day  ?  " 

"  I  merely  go  for  a  walk,  Mr.  Becker." 

"  Ah ! " 

"  You  see  I  require  to  take  a  turn  just  after  dinner  for 
the  sake  of  my  health." 

"A  habit  that  you  contracted  on  board  ship;  eh,  Willis?" 

"  On  board  ship  ;  yes  Mr.  Becker,  that  is  to  say " 

"  Just  so,"  observed  Mrs.  Wolston  ;  "  and  by  the  way, 
Willis,  I  regret  thai  you  do  not  smoke  now ;  they  say 
there  is  plenty  of  tobacco  on  the  island." 


94.  WILLIS  THE    PILOT. 

"  Smoke !  "  cried  Willis,  raising  his  ears  like  a  war- 
horse  at  the  sound  of  the  trumpet,  "  why  so,  Mrs. 
Wolston  ?  " 

"  Because  we  are  dreadfully  tormented  with  those  horrid 
mosquitoes,  and  you  might  help  us  to  get  rid  of  them. 
You  smoked  at  sea,  did  you  not?" 

"  Yes,  madam  ;  but  then  my  constitution " 

"  Bah !  "  said  Wolston,  "  I  thought  you  were  as  strong 
as  a  horse,  Willis." 

"  Well,  I  have  no  cause  to  complain  neither ;  but  then 
they  say  tobacco  would  kill  even  a  horse." 

"  Of  course,  Willis,  your  health  is  a  most  necessary 
consideration." 

"  Still  for  all  that,  if  the  mosquitoes  really  do  annoy 
Mrs.  Wolston,  I  should  have  no  objection  to  take  a  whiff 
now  and  then." 

"  You  must  not  put  yourself  about  though,  on  our 
account,  Willis." 

"  About ;  no,  it  would  not  put  me  about." 

"  Very  good  ;  then  it  only  remains  to  be  seen  whether 
there  is  a  pipe  in  the  colony." 

"  Ah,"  said  Willis,  feeling  his  pockets,  "  yes,  exactly  — 
here  is  one." 

"  Curious  how  things  do  turn  up,  isn't  it,  Willis  ?  "  said 
Becker ;  "  but  the  mosquitoes  would  not  be  frightened 
away  by  the  smoke,  if  applied  at  long  intervals,  so  you 
will  have  to  repeat  the  dose  at  least  two  or  three  times 
every  day,  always  supposing  it  does  not  affect  your 
constitution." 

"  Sailors,  you  see,"  replied  Willis,  "  are  like  chimneys, 
they  always  smoke  when  you  want  them,  and  sometimes  a 
great  deal  more  than  you  want  them."  And  on  turning 
round,  he  beheld  Sophia  holding  a  light,  and  a  good-sized 
case  of  Maryland,  which  had  been  preserved  from  the 
wreck. 

Ever  after  that  time  the  mosquitoes  had  a  most  per- 
severing enemy  in  Willis ;  and,  notwithstanding  his  health, 
his  daily  walks  entirely  ceased. 

For  some  time  the  Pilot  and  the  four  young  men  passed 
the  night  in  a  tent  erected  about  midway  between  Rock- 
house  and  the  Jackal  River.  The  apparent  reason  for  this 


WILLIS   THE   PILOT.  95 

modification  of  their  plans  was  the  greater  facility  it 
afforded  for  their  all  meeting  at  daybreak,  breakfasting 
together,  and  setting  out  for  Falcon's  Nest  before  the 
temperature  reached  ninety  degrees  in  the  shade,  which 
junction  could  not  be  so  easily  effected  with  one  party 
encamped  at  Rockhouse  and  the  other  bivouacked  on 
Shark's  Island,  with  an  arm  of  the  sea  between  them. 

The  real  motive,  however,  was  that  all  might  be  within 
hail  of  each  other,  and  prepared  for  every  emergency,  in 
the  event  of  the  stranger  appearing  in  a  more  palpable 
shape,  and  assuming  a  hostile  attitude.  We  say  the 
stranger,  because,  judging  from  the  indications,  there  was 
only  one  —  still  that  did  not  prove  that  there  might  not  be 
several. 

One  night,  as  Fritz  was  lying  with  one  eye  open,  he 
observed  Mary's  little  black  terrier  suddenly  prick  up  the 
fragments  of  its  ears,  and  begin  sniffing  at  the  edge  of  the 
tent.  This  shaggy  little  cur  was  called  Toby ;  it  had 
accompanied  the  Wolstons  on  their  voyage,  and  was  Mary's 
exclusive  property ;  but  Fritz  had  found  the  way  to  the 
animal's  heart  as  usual  through  its  stomach,  and  Mary 
was  in  no  way  jealous  of  his  attentions  to  her  favorite, 
but  rather  the  reverse. 

Fritz,  feeling  convinced  by  the  actions  of  the  dog,  which 
was  of  the  true  Scotch  breed,  that  something  extraordinary 
was  passing  outside  the  tent,  seized  his  rifle,  hastened  out, 
and  was  just  in  time  to  distinguish  a  human  figure  on  the 
opposite  bank  of  the  Jackal  River,  which,  on  seeing  him, 
took  to  its  heels  and  disappeared  in  the  forest. 

He  was  soon  joined  by  the  Pilot  and  his  brothers ;  the 
dogs  leaped  about  them,  and  the  alarm  became  general 
throughout  the  encampment.  Fritz  re-established  order, 
enjoined  silence,  and  said, 

"  I  am  determined  this  time  to  follow  the  affair  up ;  who 
will  accompany  me  ?  " 

"  I  will ! "  said  all  the  four  voices  at  once. 

"  Scouting  parties  ought  not  to  be  numerous,"  said 
Fritz  ;  "  I  will,  therefore,  take  Willis,  in  case  this  mystifi- 
cation has  anytlving  to  do  with  the  Nelson" 

"  And  me,"  said  Jack,  "  to  serve  as  a  dessert,  in  case  the 
individual  should  turn  out  to  be  an  anthropophagi  an." 


96  WILLIS    THE    PILOT. 

"  Be  it  so;  but  no  more.  Frank  and  Ernest  will  remain 
to  tranquilize  our  parents,  in  case  we  should  not  return 
before  they  are  up." 

"  And  if  so,  what  shall  we  say  ?  " 

"Tell  them  the  truth.  We  shall  proceed  direct  to  Fal- 
con's Nest ;  and  if  the  stranger  —  confiding  in  our  habit 
of  sleeping  during  the  night  —  be  there  as  usual,  we  shall 
do  ourselves  the  honor  of  helping  him  to  get  up." 

"  Providing  he  does  not  nightly  change  his  quarters 
like  Oliver  Cromwell  —  not  so  much  to  avoid  enemies,  as 
to  calm  his  uneasy  conscience." 

"  Well,  we  shall  be  no  worse  than  before ;  we  shall 
have  tried  to  restore  our  wonted  quietude,  and,  if  we  fail, 
we  can  say,  like  Francis  I.  at  Pavia,  '  All  is  lost  except 
our  honor.' " 

Some  minutes  after  this  conversation,  three  shadows 
might  have  been  seen  stealing  through  the  glades  in  the 
direction  of  Falcon's  Nest.  Nothing  was  to  be  heard  but 
the  rustling  of  the  leaves  —  the  deafened  beating  of  the 
sea  upon  the  rocks  —  and,  to  use  the  words  of  Lamartine, 
"  those  unknown  tongues  that  night  and  the  wind  whisper 
in  the  air."  The  trees  were  mirrored  in  the  rays  of  the 
moon,  and  the  ground,  at  intervals,  seemed  strewn  with 
monstrous  giants;  their  hearts  beat,  not  with  fear,  but  with 
that  feverish  impatience  that  anticipates  decisive  results. 

When  they  arrived  at  the  foot  of  the  tree  on  which  the 
aerial  dwelling  was  situated,  Fritz  opened  the  door,  and 
resolutely,  but  stealthily,  ascended. 

Willis  and  Jack  followed  him  with  military  precision. 

They  reached  the  top  of  the  staircase,  and  held  the 
latch  of  the  door  that  opened  into  the  apartment. 

A  train  of  mice,  in  the  strictest  incognito,  could  not 
have  performed  these  operations  with  a  greater  amount  of 
secretiveness.  On  opening  the  door  they  stood  and 
listened. 

Not  a  sound.  Jack  fired  off  a  pistol,  and  the  fraudulent 
occupier  of  the  room  instantly  started  up  on  his  feet. 
Fritz  rushed  forward,  and  clasped  him  tightly  round  the 
body. 

"  Ho,  ho,  comrade,"  said  he,  "  this  time  you  do  not  get 
off  so  easily !" 


CHAPTER  IX. 

THE     CHIMPANZEE IMPERFECT      NEGRO,      OR     PERFECT     APE 

THE      HARMONIES     OF     NATURE  —  A      HANDFUL     OF     PAWS A 

BTONE     SKIN SEVENTEEN      THOUSAND      SPECTACLES      ON     ONB 

NOSE ANIMALCULE PELION  ON  OS8A PTOLEMY COPER- 
NICUS     TO       GALILEO METAPHYSICS       AND       COSMOGONIES 

ISAIAH A    LIVE    TIGER. 

"THE  chimpanze"  or  chimpanzee,"  says  Buffon,  the 
French  naturalist,  "is  much  more  sagacious  than  the 
ourang  outang,  with  which  it  has  been  inaccurately  con- 
founded ;  it  likewise  bears  a  more  marked  resemblance  to 
the  human  being ;  the  height  is  the  same,  and  it  has  the 
same  aspect,  members,  and  strength  ;  it  always  walks  on 
two  feet,  with  the  head  erect,  has  no  tail,  has  calves  to  its 
legs,  hair  on  its  head,  a  beard  on  its  chin,  a  face  that 
Grimaldi  would  have  envied,  hands  and  nails  like  those 
of  men,  whose  manners  and  habits  it  is  susceptible  of 
acquiring." 

Buffon  knew  an  individual  of  the  species  that  sat  de- 
murely at  table,  taking  his  place  with  the  other  guests ; 
like  them  he  would  spread  out  his  napkin,  and  stick  one 
corner  of  it  into  his  button-hole  just  as  they  did,  and  he 
was  exceedingly  dexterous  in  the  use  of  his  knife,  fork, 
and  spoon.  Spectators  were  not  a  little  surprised  to  see 
him  go  to  a  bed  made  for  him,  tie  up  his  head  in  a  pocket- 
handkerchief,  place  it  sideways  on  a  pillow,  tuck  himself 
carefully  in  the  bed-clothes,  pretend  to  be  sick,  stretch  out 
his  pulse  to  be  felt,  and  affect  to  undergo  the  process  of 
being  bled. 

The  naturalist  adds  that  he  is  very  easily  taught,  and 

may  be  made  a  useful  domestic  servant,  at  least  as  regards 

the  humbler  operations  of  the  kitchen  ;  he  promptly  obeys 

signs  and  the  voice,  whilst  other  species  of  apes  only  obey 

9 


98  "WILLIS   THE    PILOT. 

the  stick ;  he  will  rinse  glasses,  serve  at  table,  turn  t)  « 
«pit,  grind  coffee,  or  carry  water.  Add  to  his  virtues  as 
a  domestic,  that  he  is  not  much  addicted  to  chattering 
about  the  family  affairs,  has  no  followers,  and  is  very 
accommodating  in  the  matter  of  wages. 

It  was  neither  more  nor  less  than  a  chimpanzee  that 
Fritz  had  caught  in  the  dark  at  Falcon's  Nest. 

"  Now  then,  old  fellow,"  said  he,  "  you  will  help  us  to 
clear  up  this  mysterious  affair." 

The  caged  stranger  made  no  reply  to  this  observation  ; 
Willis  and  Jack  then  questioned  him,  the  one  in  Engli.>h 
and  the  other  in  French. 

Still  no  reply. 

He  did  not  submit,  however,  to  be  interrogated  quietly ; 
on  the  contrary,  his  struggles  to  get  away  were  most 
vigorous,  so  much  so  that  Fritz  adopted  the  precaution 
of  binding  him. 

<k  If  it  had  been  one  of  our  sailors,"  said  Willis,  "  he 
would  have  recognized  my  voice  long  ago." 

"  Who  are  you  ?  "  asked  one. 

"  Where  do  you  come  from  ?  "  inquired  another. 

"  Do  not  attempt  to  escape,"  said  a  third. 

"  We  mean  you  no  harm ;  on  the  contrary,  we  are 
friends,  disposed  to  do  you  good  if  we  can." 

"If  all  his  brothers  and  sisters  are  as  talkative  as  him- 
self," remarked  Jack,  "  they  must  be  a  very  amusing  sort 
of  people." 

"  He  can  walk  at  all  events,"  said  Fritz  giving  him  a 
smart  push. 

The  chimpanzee  fell  flat  on  the  floor. 

"  It  appears,  sir,  that  you  ai-e  determined  to  have  your 
own  way,  we  must  therefore  wait  till  daylight." 

An  hour  passed  in  polyglot  expostulations  with  the 
stranger  on  the  score  of  his  obstinacy,  but  all  to  no  pur- 
pose ;  to  use  a  popular  expression,  he  was  as  dumb  as  the 
Doges.  He  deigned,  however,  to  empty  at  a  single  draught 
a  calabash  of  Malaga  that  Willis  gave  him,  but  there  his 
condescension  stopped. 

The  Pilot,  who  now  encountered  mosquitoes  in  all  direc- 
tions, made  preparations  for  smoking ;  the  light  he  struck, 


WILLIS    THE    PILOT.  09 

however,  instead  of  clearing  up  the  mystery,  only  per- 
plexed them  more  and  more ;  there  lay  their  new  com- 
panion, stretched  ou  the  ground,  staring  at  them  with  a 
ludicrous  grin. 

If,  on  the  one  hand,  it  occurred  to  them  this  man  was 
an  animal,  on  the  other  the  animal  was  a  man,  and  Buffon 
did  not  happen  to  be  there  at  the  time  to  assign  him 
officially  a  place  in  the  former  kingdom. 

The  next  difficulty  that  presented  itself  was,  how  they 
were  to  get  him  along;  when  they  broke  in  the  onagra, 
they  ran  a  prong  through  his  ear ;  in  reducing  the  buffalo 
to  subjection,  they  did  not  feel  the  slightest  compunction  in 
thrusting  a  pin  through  the  cartilage  of  his  nose ;  then,  in 
order  to  give  elasticity  to  the  legs  of  the  ostrich,  they 
yoked  him  to  two  or  three  other  animals,  and,  willing  or 
unwilling,  he  was  compelled  ultimately  to  yield  obedience 
to  the  lords  of  creation.  But  whether  the  creature  before 
them  was  a  lower  order  of  negro  or  a  higher  order  of  ape, 
there  was  too  great  a  resemblance  between  the  captured 
and  the  capturers  to  admit  of  any  of  these  methods  of 
impulsion  being  adopted.  It  was,  therefore,  stretched  on 
a  plank,  like  a  nabob  in  his  palanquin,  that  the  chimpanzee 
made  his  first  appearance  at  Rockhouse. 

When  the  cavalcade  arrived  there,  all  the  family,  with 
the  exception  of  Ernest  and  Frank,  were  still  asleep. 
The  first  thing  they  did  was  to  clothe  the  creature  they 
had  captured  in  a  sailor's  pantaloons  and  jacket,  with 
which  he  seemed  rather  pleased,  and  the  result  of  this 
operation  was,  that  he  began  to  assume  a  less  ferocious 
aspect,  and  behave  more  respectfully  towards  his  captors. 
All  the  family  had  sat  down  to  breakfast,  when  Fritz  and 
Jack,  taking  him  by  the  hands,  led  him  gravely  into  the 
gallery.  A  cord  was  attached  to  his  legs,  allowing  him  to 
walk,  but  was  so  arranged  that  he  could  not  run.  ' 

On  his  appearance  the  young  girls  fled  at  once  ;  and, 
more  accustomed  to  drawing-rooms  than  the  rude  realities 
of  savage  life,  Mrs.  Wolston's  first  impulse  was  to  do  the 
same. 

"  Goodness  gracious  ! "  she  cried  with  an  air  of  alarm, 
"  what  horror  is  that  ?  " 


100  WILLIS    THE    PILOT. 

"  That,  madam,  is  precisely  what  we  have  been  anxioua 
for  the  last  two  or  three  hours  to  find  out,"  replied  Fritz. 

"  Does  the  creature  speak  ?  " 

"  Up  till  now,  madam,"  replied  Willis,  "  he  has  only 
opened  his  mouth  to  swallow  my  calabash  of  Malaga ; 
beyond  that,  he  has  kept  as  close  as  a  purser's  locker." 

When  the  tirst  shock  had  passed,  and  the  company  had 
regained  their  self-possession,  Jack  related,  with  his  cus- 
tomary originality,  the  incidents  of  the  nocturnal  expe- 
dition, of  which  Fritz  was  the  originator,  leader,  and  hero. 
The  ladies  then,  for  the  first  time,  were  made  acquainted 
with  the  doubts,  fears,  perplexities,  and  battues,  which, 
out  of  gallantry,  they  had  hitherto  been  kept  in  ignorance 
of.  Becker  then,  having  carefully  investigated  the  creature, 
pronounced  it  to  be  (as  we  already  know)  a  full-grown 
specimen  of  a  kind  of  ape,  called  by  the  Africans  "  the 
wild  man  of  the  woods,"  and  by  naturalists  the  jocko  or 
chimpanzee. 

"  It  is  naturally  very  savage,"  added  Becker  ;  "  but  this 
individual  seems  already  to  have  received  some  degree  of 
education." 

As  a  proof  of  this,  the  chimpanzee  seated  himself 
amongst  them  very  much  at  his  ease ;  he  scanned  the 
faces  surrounding  him  with  an  air  of  curiosity,  and  seemed 
to  search  for  a  particular  countenance  that  it  annoyed  him 
not  to  find.  Some  fruit  and  nuts  that  were  given  him  put 
bam  in  excellent  humor. 

"  He  has,  without  doubt,  been  on  board  some  ship, 
wrecked  on  the  coast,"  said  Wolston,  "  for  I  recollect 
having  read  that  his  kindred  are  only  found  in  Western 
Africa  and  the  adjacent  islands  ;  do  you  not  recognize  him, 
Willis,  to  belong  to  the  Nelson,  like  the  plank  of  the  other 
day?" 

"No,  sir." 

"  So  much  the  better." 

"We  do  not  ship  such  cattle  on  board  his  Majesty's 
ships,"  added  the  Pilot. 

The  girls,  ashamed  of  their  fear,  now  came  peeping  in 
at  the  door,  and,  seeing  that  nobody  had  been  devoured, 
took  refuge  by  the  Bide  of  their  mother. 


WILLIS    THE    PILOT.  101 

"  Look  here,  father,"  said  Ernest,  feeling  the  creature's 
crania,  after  having  facetiously  begged  pardon  for  the 
liberty,  "  its  head  is  precisely  like  our  own ;  that  is  very 
humiliating." 

"  Yes,  my  son,  but  his  tongue  and  other  organs  are  also 
exactly  like  ours,  yet  he  cannot  utter  a  word.  His  head 
is  of  the  same  form  and  proportion,  but  he  does  not  for  all 
that  possess  human  intelligence.  Is  this  not  a  very 
striking  proof  that  mere  matter,  though  perfectly  organ- 
ized, neither  produces  words  nor  thought ;  and  that  it 
requires  a  special  manifestation  of  the  Divine  will  to  call 
these  attributes  into  existence  ?" 

"  True ;  but,  father,  some  writers  say  that  apes  have 
been  observed  to  profit  by  fires  lighted  in  the  forest,  and 
have  gone  and  warmed  themselves  when  the  travellers 
left." 

"  That,  my  son,  is  instinct,  nothing  more  ;  the  operation 
of  keeping  up  a  fire,  by  throwing  a  few  branches  upon  it, 
is  exceedingly  simple,  but  their  instinct  has  never  been 
known  to  rise  to  that  amount  of  intelligence." 

"  You  recollect,  father,  that  heathcock  we  saw  some 
years  ago  displaying  his  glossy  plumage  to  the  dazzled 
hens ;  is  that  not  a  well-marked  proof  of  coquetry  ?  and 
is  not  this  coquetry  an  indication  of  something  more  than 
mere  instinct  ?" 

"  You  will  permit  me  to  believe,  my  son,  at  least  till 
the  contrary  has  been  proved,  that  these  actions  to  which 
you  refer  have  nothing  at  all  to  do  with  coquetry.  Those 
brilliant  colors  are  designed  for  a  purpose  other  than  that 
which  you  suppose ;  they  serve  as  signals  to  keep  the 
community  together,  or,  in  other  words,  they  are  a  common 
centre  round  which  the  hens  may  revolve." 

"The  transition  from  apes  to  heathcocks,"  remarked 
Jack,  "  appears  to  me  somewhat  abrupt." 

"  Not  so  abrupt  as  you  think,  Master  Jack,"  said  "Wbl- 
ston;  "  those  who  take  the  trouble  to  study  Nature,  observe 
an  admirable  gradation  and  easy  progression  from  a 
simple  to  a  complex  organization.  There  is  no  race  01 
species  that  is  not  connected  by  a  perceptible  link  with 
that  which  precedes  and  that  which  follows." 


102  WILLIS    THK    FILOT. 

"  What  relation  is  there,  for  example,"  inquired  Jack, 
"  between  an  oyster  and  a  horse  ?" 

"  No  immediate  relation  certainly,  but  there  are  inter- 
mediate links  by  which  the  two  are  brought  together :  they 
may  be  regarded,  however,  as  the  opposite  extremes  of  the 
brotherhood  —  the  two  poles  in  the  chain  of  existence.  A 
horse  bears  even  less  resemblance  to  a  turnip  than  to  an 
oyster ;  a  relationship  may,  nevertheless,  be  traced,  step 
by  step,  between  them,  dissimilar  as  they  are.  There  is 
the  polypus,  that  singular  product  of  Nature,  which, 
regarded  in  one  light,  performs  all  the  functions  of  animal 
life,  whilst,  when  regarded  in  another,  it  has  the  ordinary 
attributes  of  a  plant ;  does  this  not  clearly  and  distinctly 
mark  the  transition  from  the  vegetable  to  the  animal 
kingdom  ?  Again,  certain  species  of  worms  blend  the 
animal  with  the  insect  tribe,  those  which  are  covered  with 
a  horny  substance  unite  them  with  the  crustacean.  These 
approach  fish  on  the  one  hand,  and  reptiles  on  the  other, 
whilst  reptiles  in  some  species  become  moluscs." 

"And  what  is  a  molusc?"  inquired  "Willis. 

"  The  term  molusc  is  applied  by  naturalists  to  creatures 
which  have  no  vertebra?,  as  for  example,  the  cuttle  fish  and 
the  oyster." 

"  I  believe  you,  Mr.  "Wolston ;  but  if  I  had  asked 
Einiest  or  Jack,  they  would  have  told  me  that  it  was  a 
commodore  or  an  admiral." 

"  Reptiles,  I  was  going  to  say,  are  connected  at  one  end 
of.  the  chain  with  moluscs  by  the  slug,  and  at  the  other 
with  fish  by  the  eel.  From  flying-fish  to  birds  the  tran- 
sition is  by  no  means  abrupt.  The  ostrich,  whose  legs 
are  like  goat's,  and  runs  rather  than  flies,  connects  birds 
with  quadrupeds;  these  again  return  to  fish  through  the 
cetacea. " 

"Yes,  but  the  interval  between  such  creatures  and  man 
is  still  great." 

"  True ;  to  connect  the  two  would  be  a  process  replete 
with  insurmountable  difficulties,  and  only  possible  to 
creative  power.  The  projecting  snout  would  have  to  be 
flattened,  and  the  features  of  humanity  imprinted  upon  it 
—  that  head  bent  upon  the  ground  would  have  to  be 


WILLIS    THE    PILOT.  103 

directed  upwards  —  that  narrow  breast  would  have  to  be 
flattened  out  —  those  legs  would  have  to  be  converted  into 
flexible  arms,  and  those  horny  hoofs  into  nimble  fingers." 

"  To  accomplish  which,"  remarked  Frank,  "  God  had 
only  to  say,  '  Let  it  be  so.' " 

"  Assuredly ;  and  as  there  is  nothing  incongruous  in 
Nature,  as  everything  is  admirably  adapted  for  its  pur- 
pose, as  unity  of  design,  is  perceptible  in  all  things,  as 
every  effect  proceeds  from  a  cause,  and  becomes  a  cause 
in  its  turn  of  succeeding  effects,  so  God  has  willed  that 
there  should  be  a  chain  of  resemblance  running  through 
all  his  works,  and  the  link  that  connects  man  with  the 
animal  kingdom  —  the  highest  type  of  the  mammiferous 
race,  and  the  nearest  approach  to  humanity  amongst  the 
brutes  —  is  the  creature  before  you." 

As  if  to  illustrate  this  position,  and  prove  his  title  to  the 
place  awarded  him,  the  chimpanzee  quietly  laid  hold  of 
Mr.  Wolston's  straw  hat  and  stuck  it  on  his  crispy  head. 

"  He  is,  perhaps,  afraid  of  catching  cold,"  said  Jack, 
thrusting  a  mat  under  his  feet. 

"  Compare  birds  with  quadrupeds,"  continued  Mr. 
Wolston,  "and  you  will  find  analogies  at  every  step. 
Does  the  powerful  and  kingly  eagle  not  resemble  the  noble 
and  generous  lion  ?  —  the  cruel  vulture,  the  ferocious 
tiger  ?  —  the  kite,  buzzard,  and  crow  preying  upon  carrion, 
hyenas,  jackals,  and  wolves  ?  Are  not  falcons,  hawks, 
and  other  birds  used  in  the  chase,  types  of  foxes  and  dogs? 
Is  the  owl,  which  prowls  about  only  at  night,  not  a  type 
of  the  cat?  The  cormorants  and  herons,  that  live  upon 
fish,  are  they  not  the  otters  and  beavers  of  the  air?  Do 
not  peacocks,  turkeys,  and  the  common  barn-door  fowl 
bear  a  striking  affinity  to  oxen,  cows,  sheep,  and  other 
ruminating  animals  ?" 

During  these  remarks,  Jack's  monkey,  Knips,  had 
found  its  way  into  the  gallery,  and,  observing  the  new- 
comer, went  forward  to  accost  him  as  if  an  old  friend; 
the  latter,  however,  uttered  a  menacing  cry,  and  was  about 
to  seize  Knips  with  evidently  no  amiable  design,  but  was 
prevented  by  the  cords  that  bound  his  legs.  Knips  leaped 
upon  the  back  of  one  of  the  boys,  and  there,  aa  if  on  the 


104  TTILLIS   THE   PILOT. 

tower  of  an  impregnable  fortress,  commenced  making  a 
series  of  grimaces  at  the  chimpanzee,  these  being  the  only 
missiles  within  reach  that  ne  could  launch  at  his  relation. 
The  enemy  retorted,  and  kept  up  a  smart  fire  of  like 
ammunition. 

"  It  appears,"  remarked  Mrs  Wolston,  "  that  apes  are 
something  like  men ;  the  great  and  the  little  do  not  readily 
amalgamate." 

"  We  must  make  them  amalgamate,"  said  Jack,  taking 
one  of  Knips's  paws,  whilst  Ernest  held  that  of  the 
chimpanzee ;  thus  they  compelled  them  to  shake  hands, 
but  with  what  degree  of  cordiality  we  are  unable  to 
state. 

"  You  ought  to  oblige  them  now  to  take  an  oath  of 
fealty,"  said  Mrs.  Wolston 

"  Chimpanzee,"  said  Jack,  speaking  for  Knips,  "  I  pro- 
mise always  to  treat  you  in  future  with  smiles,  delicacies, 
and  respect." 

"Knips,"  replied  the  wild  man  of  the  woods,  through 
the  organs  of  Ernest,  "  I  promise  to  have  for  you  only  the 
most  generous  intentions ;  to  share  with  you  the  nuts  I 
may  have  occasion  to  crack,  that  is,  by  giving  you  the 
shells  and  keeping  the  kernel ;  I  promise,  moreover,  not 
to  immolate  you  at  the  altar  of  my  just  rage,  unless  it  in 
impossible  for  me  to  avoid  an  outburst  of  temper." 

"Now  the  embrace  of  peace." 

"  Ah,  madam,"  said  Jack,  "  you  must  excuse  that  cere- 
mony, their  friendship  is  too  new  for  such  intimacy,  and 
Knips  don't  much  like  being  bitten." 

"  Need  we  other  proofs,"  remarked  Becker,  when  the 
scene  between  the  monkeys  was  concluded,  "  that  every- 
thing has  been  premeditated,  weighed,  and  calculated?  It 
was  necessary  for  that  most  arid  country,  Arabia,  that  we 
should  have  a  sober  animal,  susceptible  of  existing  a  long 
time  without  water,  and  capable  of  treading  the  hot  sands 
of  the  desert.  God  has  accordingly  given  us  the  camel." 

"  And  the  dromedary,"  remarked  Ernest. 

"  So  everywhere,"  continued  Becker ;  "  and  add  to 
these  evidences  of  Divine  wisdom  the  brilliant  colors,  the 
silken  furs,  the  golden  plumage,  and  the  ever-varying 


WILLI3    THE   PILOT.  105 

forms,  yet,  in  all  this  diversity,  there  is  unison  —  a 
harmony.  Like  the  various  objects  which  a  clever  artist 
introduces  into  his  sketch,  they  are  placed  without  uni- 
formity, but  still  with  reference  to  their  effect  upon  each 
other,  and  so  to  the  unity  of  the  general  design." 

"Therefore,"  remarked  Ernest,  "we  have  an  animal 
whose  skin  is  of  stone,  which  it  throws  off  annually  to 
assume  a  new  one. —  whose  flesh  is  its  tail  and  in  its  feet 
—  whose  hair  is  found  inside  in  its  breast — whose  stomach 
is  in  its  head,  which,  like  the  skin,  is  renewed  every  year, 
the  first  function  of  the  new  being  to  digest  the  old  one." 

Here  the  Pilot  manifested  some  symptoms  of  incre- 
dulity. 

"  That  is  not  all,  Willis,"  continued  Ernest,  "  the  animal 
of  which  I  speak  carries  its  eggs  in  the  interior  of  its  body 
till  they  are  hatched,  and  then  transfers  them  to  its  tail. 
It  has  pebbles  in  its  stomach,  can  throw  off  its  limbs  when 
they  incommode  it,  and  replace  them  with  others  more  to 
its  fancy.  To  finish  the  portrait,  its  eyes  are  placed  at  the 
tip  of  long  flexible  horns." 

"Do  you  really  mean  me  to  believe  that  yarn?"  in- 
quired Willis. 

"  Yes,  Willis,  unless  you  intend  to  deny  the  existence 
of  lobsters." 

"  Lobsters  !     Ah !  you  are  talking  of  them,  are  you  !" 

"Have  not,"  continued  Ernest,  "six  thousand  three 
hundred  and  sixty-two  eyes  been  counted  in  one  beetle  ? 
sixteen  thousand  in  a  fly?  and  as  many  as  thirty-four 
thousand  six  hundred  in  a  butterfly  ?  Of  course,  facets 
understood." 

"  Supposing  these  facets  myope  or  presbyte,"  observed 
Jack,  "  that  gives  seventeen  thousand  three  hundred  and 
twenty-five  pairs  of  spectacles  on  one  nose  ! " 

"  How  wonderfully  varied  are  the  forms  of  Nature.  If, 
from  the  mastodon  and  the  fossil  mammoth,  to  which  Buf- 
fon  attributes  five  or  six  times  the  bulk  and  size  of  the  ele- 
phant, we  descend  to  those  animalculse,  of  which  Leuwen- 
hoek  estimates  that  a  thousand  millions  of  them  would  not 
occupy  the  place  of  an  ordinary  grain  of  sand." 

Here  Willis  lost  all  patience  and  left  the  gallery,  whist- 


106  WILLIS   THE   PILOT. 

ling  as  usual,  under  such  circumstances,  the  "  Mariner's 
March." 

"Malesieu  has  detected  animals  by  the  microscope 
twenty-seven  times  smaller  than  a  mite.  A  single  drop 
of  water  under  this  instrument  assumes  the  aspect  of  a 
lake,  peopled  by  an  infinite  multitude  of  living  creatures." 

"  Therefore,"  observed  Wolston,  "  it  is  not  the  great 
works  of  Nature,  or  those  of  which  the  organization  is 
most  perfect,  that  alone  presents  to  the  mind  of  man  the 
unfathomable  mysteries  of  creation ;  atoms  become  to  him 
problems,  that  utterly  defy  the  utmost  efforts  of  his  intel- 
ligence." 

"  Which,"  suggested  Becker,  "  does  not  prevent  us  be- 
lieving ourselves  a  well  of  science,  nor  hinder  us  from 
piling  Pelion  on  Ossa  to  scale  the  skies." 

"  What  becomes,  in  the  presence  of  these  facts,  of  the 
metaphysics  and  cosmogonies  that  have  succeeded  each 
other  for  two  thousand  years  ?  What  of  all  the  theories, 
from  Ptolemy  to  Copernicus,  from  Copernicus  to  Galileo, 
Descartes  and  his  zones,  Leibnitz  and  his  monads,  Wolf 
and  his  fire  forces,  Maupertuis  and  his  intelligent  elements, 
Broussais,  who,  in  his  anatomical  lectures,  has  oftener  than 
once  shown  to  his  pupils,  on  the  point  of  his  scalpel,  the 
source  of  thought;  what,  I  say.  becomes  of  all  these?" 

"  There  is  less  wisdom  in  such  vain  speculation  than 
in  these  simple  words :  '  /  believe  in  God  the  Father,  the 
Creator  of  all  things.1 " 

"  Worlds,"  says  Isaiah,  "  are,  before  Him,  like  the  dew- 
drops  on  a  blade  of  grass." 

"  We  are  now,  however,  getting  into  the  clouds,"  re- 
marked Wolston ;  "  let  us  return  to  the  earth  by  the 
shortest  route.  What  do  you  mean  to  do  with  the  chim- 
panzee?" 

"Why,  we  must  cage  him  in  some  way,"  replied  Becker ; 
"  to  let  him  loose  again  would  be  to  create  fresh  uneasiness 
for  ourselves.  To  kill  him  would  be  almost  a  kind  of 
homicide." 

"Can  I  come  in  now?"  inquired  Willis,  thrusting  hia 
head  into  the  gallery. 

"  Ye«,  with  perfect  safety." 


WILLIS   THE    PILOT.  107 

,  "  You  see,  when  Master  Ernest  begins  to  spin,  he  gets 
into  the  chapter  of  miracles,  and'  forgets  that  we  have 
ears." 

"  I  cannot  help  seeing  them  sometimes  though,  "Willis ; 
•when  they  are  a  little  longer  than  usual,  it  is  difficult  to 
hide  them  altogether." 

"  Well,"  replied  Willis,  "  I  confess  I  am  a  bit  of  a  fool, 
and  as  you  are  at  a  loss  what  to  do  with  our  friend  here, 
I  shall  take  him  over  with  me  to  Shark's  Island :  there  will 
be  a  pair  of  us  there  then." 

"  If  you  will  undertake  to  be  his  guide  and  instructor, 
he  is  yours,  Willis." 

"  What  shall  I  call  him?" 

"Jocko." 

"  It  shall  go  hard  with  me  if  I  do  not  make  a  gentleman 
of  him  in  a  month's  time." 

"  I  should  like,"  said  Frank,  "  if  you  could  convert  him 
into  a  tiger." 

«A  tiger?" 

"  Yes,  we  want  a  footman  in  livery  to  fetch  Mrs.  Wol- 
ston's  carriage  next  time  she  calls  for  it." 

"  I  feel  highly  flattered  by  the  compliment,"  said  Mrs. 
Wolston,  "  but  fear  you  will  not  be  able  to  turn  him  out 
entire." 

"  Why  so,  madam  ?  " 

"  Where  are  the  top  boots  to  come  from  f " 


CHAPTER  X. 

THE   PIONEERS — EXCURSION  TO   COROMANDEL —  HINDOO   FAN- 
CIES  A  CAGED  HUNTER LOUIS  XI.  AND  CARDINAL  BALUE — 

A  FURLONG   OF  NEWS CARNAGE THE  BARONET  AND   HI  8 

8ETENTEEN    TIGERS FIFTY-FOUR    FEET    OF    CELEBRITT  — 

STERNE'S    WINDOW  —  PROMENADE    OF    THE    CONSCIENCES  — 
EMULATION  AND  VANITY. 

WHEN  a  country  is  released  from  the  presence  of  an 
enemy  that  annoyed  and  harassed  them,  the  people  feel 
as  if  a  weight  had  been  taken  off  their  shoulders ;  so  the 
inhabitants  of  New  Switzerland  had  breathed  more  freely 
since  the  capture  of  the  chimpanzee. 

The  works  at  Falcon's  Nest  were  completed,  and  the 
two  families  had  taken  possession  of  their  aerial  dwellings, 
where  they  were  perched  like  a  pair  of  rookeries  within 
call  of  each  other. 

The  confined  air  of  towns  has  a  tendency  to  plunge  men 
into  lethargy  and  indolence,  and  to  precipitate  the  deca- 
dence of  a  constitution  in  which  the  seeds  of  disease  have 
been  sown ;  whilst,  on  the  other  hand,  the  pure  air  of  the 
country  braces  the  nerves,  excites  a  healthy  action  in  the 
system,  and  invigorates  a  shattered  frame  ;  so  it  was  with 
Mr.  Wolston —  under  the  benign  influences  of  the  genial 
climate  and  the  refreshing  sea  breeze,  he  gradually,  but 
steadily,  recovered  health  and  strength. 

A  larger  breadth  of  land  had  been  cleared  and  fitted  for 
receiving  grain,  which  it  was  susceptible  of  reproducing  a 
hundred-fold.  Such  is  the  sublime  contract  God  has  made 
•with  man,  that,  in  exchange  for  his  labor  and  skill,  a  single 
grain  of  wheat  will  produce  seven  or  eight  stalks,  each 
bearing  an  ear  containing  fifty  grains ;  a  single  grain  has 
been  known  to  yield  twenty-eight  ears,  and  Pliny  states 
that  Nero  received  a  grain  bearing  the  enormous  number 


WILLIS    THK    PILOT.  109 

of  three  hundred  and  sixty  ears.  Strange  that  such  a  sin- 
gular instance  of  fecundity  should  present  itself  during  the 
domination  of  a  man,  or  rather  monster,  who  dared  to  wish 
that  the  Roman  people  had  only  one  head,  so  that  he 
might  cut  it  off  at  a  single  blow ! 

Willis  and  the  Wolstons  were  as  yet  ignorant  of  the 
extent  and  limits  of  the  colony ;  there  were  two  inclosed 
and  cultivated  sections,  named  respectively  Waldeck  and 
Prospect  Hill,  which  they  had  not  yet  inspected.  With  a 
view  to  enable  them  to  form  a  more  accurate  conception 
of  the  boundaries  of  the  territory  they  inhabited,  a  grand 
excursion  was  decided  upon  that  would  enable  them 
leisurely  to  investigate  every  nook  and  cranny  of  the 
settlement. 

The  storehouse  was  accordingly  overhauled,  and  the 
ladies  called  in  to  prepare  viands  for  the  journey;  they 
were  likewise  invited  to  furnish  a  supply  of  certain 
enchanted  travelling  bags,  in  which  the  gentlemen  were 
often  astonished  to  find,  during  their  distant  expeditions,  a 
thousand  and  one  useful  things  that  they  would  nevei 
have  dreamt  of  bringing  with  them  of  their  own  accord. 

Becker,  Wolston,  Ernest,  and  Frank  set  about  the  con- 
struction of  a  vehicle  on  four  wheels  for  the  luggage  and 
the  ladies ;  they  did  not  contemplate  erecting  a  machine 
with  elastic  springs  and  gilded  panels,  like  the  Lord 
Mayor's  state  coach  —  their  object  was  to  produce  a 
machine  that  would  ease,  without  dislocating,  the  limbs  of 
the  travellers,  and  that  would  move  at  least  more  gently 
than  a  gardener's  cart,  loaded  with  hampers  of  greens  for 
Covent  Garden  Market.  It  may  readily  be  supposed  that 
Ernest's  Latin  was  not  of  much  service  in  these  opera- 
tions, for  even  Wolston's  mechanical  skill  was  sorely  tried 
in  elaborating  the  design. 

Fritz,  Willis,  and  Jack  had  already  started  as  pioneers 
of  the  expedition  to  examine  the  buildings,  and  to  see  that 
no  more  apes  or  other  piratical  marauders  had  established 
themselves  on  their  premises ;  and,  in  compliance  with  a 
request  made  by  Willis,  who  strongly  objected  to  becoming 
a  bushranger,  they  had  gone  by  water.  It  was  furthei 
arranged  that,  on  their  return,  all  should  start  together  — 
10 


110  WILLIS   THK   PILOT. 

the  entire  community  in  one  cavalcade,  like  an  army  on 
the  march. 

"The  young  ladies  were  as  much  pleased  in  anticipation 
with  this  journey  as  if  the  destination  of  the  travellers 
had  been  Brighton  or  Ramsgate.  To  children  of  their 
age,  change  is  always  pleasing.  Often,  in  consequence  of 
a  death,  the  collapse  of  a  bank,  the  loss  of  a  law-suit,  or 
some  dire  disaster  of  that  sort,  parents  have  seen  them- 
selves compelled  to  abandon  the  home  of  their  fathers, 
endeared  to  them  by  many  gentle  recollections,  perhaps  to 
embark  for  some  far  distant  land ;  they  stifle  their  sighs, 
and  bid  a  mute  farewell  to  each  stone  and  each  tree, 
familiar  to  them  as  household  words ;  they  depart  with 
reluctance,  and  often  turn  to  cast  a  lingering  look  behind 
at  objects  so  dear  to  their  memory.  Not  so  the  children; 
they  issue  from  the  door  like  a  flock  of  caged  pigeons 
just  let  loose ;  they  sing  and  leap  and  laugh  with  glee ; 
the  old  house  has  no  charms  for  them,  they  are  as  glad  to 
depart  as  their  elders  are  wishful  to  stay ;  the  trunk 
desires  to  multiply  its  roots  on  the  soil,  but  the  buds 
prefer  to  blow  elsewhere  —  for  the  latter  life  resolves 
itself  into  the  word  FUTURE,  and  for  the  former  into  the 
word  PAST. 

Leaving  Wolston,  Becker,  and  his  two  sons  hard  at 
work  on  the  carriage,  let  us  turn  to  the  pinnace  which  was 
now  making  its  way  along  the  shore  under  the  guidance 
of  the  Pilot. 

"  I  should  like  much,"  said  Fritz,  "  to  present  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Wolston  with  a  couple  of  bear,  Jeopard,  or  tiger 
skins." 

"  So  should  I,"  said  Jack. 

"  I  wish  you  could  think  of  "some  other  sort  of  gift," 
suggested  Willis ;  "  what  do  you  say  to  a  couple  of  seal  or 
•hark  skins?" 

14  Won't  do,"  replied  both  Fritz  and  Jack  in  one  voice. 
"  What  objections  have  you  to  the  others  ?  " 

"  Well,  you  are  in  some  sort  consigned  to  my  care ;  I 
should  like  you  to  return  to  your  parents  with  your  own 
skins  entire." 

"  Then  you  think  it  is  a  terrific  affair  to  kill  a  tiger  or 


WILLIS   THB   PILOT.  Ill 

two  ?  You  hare  been  accustomed  to  the  sea,  and  fancy 
landsmen  are  good  for  nothing  but  shooting  crows  and 
wild-cats ;  that  is  a  mistake,  however ;  we  are  familiar 
with  larger  game." 

"  Shiver  my  timbers !  do  you  call  bears  and  tigers 
game  ?  " 

"  I  am  afraid,  Willis,  you  are  a  bit  of  a  milksop." 

"  Avast  heaving  there,  Master  Fritz !  as  it  is,  I  am  a 
half-hanged  man  already,  so  death  has  now  no  terrors  for 
me  ;  it  is  the  first  pang  that  is  most  felt." 

"  Yes ;  but  in  the  case  of  tigers,  they  never  give  yoi- 
time  to  feel  a  second  pang ;  miss  your  aim,  and  it  is  al 
over  with  you." 

"  True ;  and  therefore  I  wish  you  would  give  up  tht 
project.  As  for  myself,  I  would  face  anything  with  a  four 
pounder,  but  rifle  practice  on  board  ship  is  mostly  con- 
fined to  the  marines  ;  it  is  not  that,  however,  I  am  troubled 
about ;  I  am  certain  your  worthy  father  would  never  for- 
give me  if  I  countenance  this  project." 

"  You  need  not  tell  him  anything  about  it." 

"  Where,  then,  are  the  skins  to  come  from  ?  Can  you 
say  you  bought  them  at  the  furrier's?  You  must  really 
hit  upon  some  other  fancy." 

"  But  it  is  not  a  fancy,  Willis,  it  is  a  necessity;  it  ia  not 
our  own  amusement  we  are  consulting.  Just  imagine 
yourself  what  will  happen  during  the  excursion  now  being 
arranged.  Our  parents  will,  of  course,  offer  their  bear 
skins  to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Wolston ;  there  will  be  refusals  on 
the  one  side  and  entreaties  on  the  other." 

"  And,  as  is  usual  in  these  sort  of  discussions,"  added 
Jack,  "  Mrs.  Wolston  will  call  her  carriage." 

"  Yes,"  continued  Fritz,  "  and  my  mother  will  most 
certainly  deprive  herself  of  a  covering  that  is  absolutely 
indispensable  during  the  cold  nights  of  this  climate." 

"  There  is  reason  in  what  you  say,"  observed  Willis, 
scratching  his  ear. 

"  You  see,  Willis,  the  thing  ought  and  must  be  done." 

"  As  you  put  it,  yes ;  but  it  will  take  time  to  prepare 
the  skins." 

"  They  will  not  be  ready  in  time  for  this  expedition 


112  WILLIS    THE   PILOT. 

certainly,  and  my  mother  must  do  without  her  skin  thig 
journey ;  but  it  is  our  duty  to  prevent  anything  of  the  sort 
happening  in  future." 

"Were  I  to  consent  to  this  project,"  said  Willis,  "there 
is  still  something  more  required." 

«  What,  Willis  ? " 

"  Why,  the  tigers  and  what's-a-names ;  it  is  necessary 
to  find  the  brute  before  you  can  get  its  skin." 

"  Granted ;  there  would  be  a  difficulty  in  the  case  had 
we  not  here  quite  handy  a  magnificent  covering  of  wild 
animals,  all  ready  to  kill  or  to  be  killed.  Just  steer  a 
point  to  the  east,  Willis ;  there,  that  will  do.  Just  beyond 
that  bluff  you  see  yonder,  there  is  a  low  flat  plain  covered 
with  brushwood  and  tufted  with  trees ;  on  the  left,  this 
prairie  is  bounded  by  a  chain  of  low  hills,  and  on  the  right 
a  broad  river,  which  last  we  have  named  the  St.  John, 
because  it  bears  some  resemblance  to  a  stream  of  that 
name  in  Florida ;  beyond  this  plain  there  is  a  swamp." 

"And,"  added  Jack,  "behind  this  swamp  there  is  a 
magnificent  forest  of  cedars,  peopled  with  the  finest  furs 
imaginable,  but  garnished,  however,  with  formidable  claws 
and  rows  of  teeth." 

"  I  was  not  aware,"  said  Willis,  "  that  we  were  within 
-each  of  such  amiable  neighbors." 

"  Oh,  they  cannot  reach  us ;  thanks  to  the  conformation 
of  that  chain  of  hills  you  see  yonder,  there  is  only  one 
pass  that  opens  into  our  settlement,  and  that  we  have 
taken  care  to  shut  up  and  fortify." 

"  It  appears  then,"  said  Willis,  "  that  there  will  be  no 
difficulty  in  finding  the  animals,  but " 

"  Come,  Willis,  no  more  buts ;  you  hunt  in  your  own 
way  from  morning  till  night,  let  us  for  once  hunt  in  ours." 

"  I  go  a-hunting  ?  " 

"  Yes,  there  you  are,  charging  your  piece  just  now." 

"  Oh,  my  pipe  you  mean ;  but  look  at  the  difference  ; 
mosquitoes  bite  human  beings,  they  don't  eat  them  ! " 

"  And,  you  may  add,  their  skins  don't  make  bed-clothes. 
Besides,  if  my  mother  takes  rheumatism  or  the  ague,  it 
will  be  you  that  is  to  blame." 

"I  would  rather  face  all  the  tigers  in  Bengal  and  all  the 


WILLIS   THK  PILOT.  113 

lions  in  Africa  than  incur  such  a  responsibility.  I  will, 
therefore,  take  a  part  in  your  cruise,  and  if  any  accident 
happens  to  either  of  you,  I  shall  stay  in  the  forest  till 
nothing  is  left  of  me  but  my  cap  and  my  bones.  In  this 
way  I  will  escape  all  reproach  in  this  world,  and  I  may  as 
well,  after  all,  rejoin  my  old  commander,  Captain  Little- 
stone,  by  this  road  as  by  any  other." 

In  the  meantime,  they  had  reached  the  coast  of  Waldeck, 
and  having  landed,  they  found  the  outhouses  and  sheds 
that  had  been  erected  there  in  satisfactory  order ;  the 
apes  had  not  forgotten  a  battue  that  had  once  been  got  up 
for  their  special  behoof,  as  not  an  individual  was  to  be  seen 
in  the  neighborhood.  A  morass  of  the  district  that  had 
been  converted  into  a  rice  plantation,  promised  an  abun- 
dant crop ;  and  the  cotton  plants,  that  Frank  had  once 
mistaken  for  flakes  of  snow,  reared  their  woolly  blossoms, 
looking  for  all  the  world  like  the  powdered  heads  of  our 
ancestors.  After  a  slight  repast,  the  pinnace  was  once 
more  in  motion,  and  the  party  steering  for  Prospect  Hill. 

"Ah,"  sighed  Willis,  "  I  wish  we  had  only  Sir  Marma- 
duke  Travers'  cage  here." 

"  Cage ! "  cried  Fritz,  laughing,  "  what,  to  shut  up  the 
game  first  and  shoot  it  afterwards  ?  " 

"  No,  quite  the  reverse :  to  shut  up  the  hunters." 

"  Ah,  you  would  serve  us  in  the  same  way  as  Louis  XI. 
served  Cardinal  Balue." 

"  I  know  nothing  of  either  Louis  XL  or  Cardinal  Balue  ; 
but  the  cage  I  speak  of  was  an  excellent  invention,  for  all 
that." 

"  Which  you  would  like  to  prove  to  us  by  caging  our- 
selves, eh  ?  " 

"  Sir  Marmaduke  Travers,"  continued  Willis,  "  was  an 
English  gentleman,  and  he  was  travelling  in  Coromandel, 
no  one  knew  why  or  for  what  purpose." 

"  For  the  fun  of  the  thing,  probably,"  suggested  Jack  ; 
"  the  English  are  said  to  be  great  oddities." 

"  At  that  time  there  happened  to  be  a  Hindoo  widow 

somewhere  in  those  parts.     This  lady  was  very  rich,  very 

young,  very  beautiful,  and  very  fond  of  tormenting  her 

admirers.      And,  as   fate   Would    have  it,  the  travelling 

10* 


114  WILLIS   THE    PILOT. 

Englishman  was  completely  taken  captive  by  this  dark 
beauty;  and  taking  advantage  of  the  hold  she  had 
obtained  upon  his  heart,  she  amused  herself  by  making 
him  do  all  sorts  of  out  of  the  way  things.  Sometimes  she 
would  bid  him  let  his  moustache  grow,  then  she  would 
order  him  to  cut  it  off;  he  had  to  worship  Brahma,  adopt 
the  fashion  of  the  Hindoos,  and  had  even  to  undergo  the 
indignity  of  having  his  head  tied  up  in  a  dirty  pocket- 
handkerchief." 

"  That  is  to  say,"  remarked  Jack,  "  that  the  lady,  not 
having  a  pug  or  a  monkey,  made  Sir  Mannaduke  a 
substitute  for  both." 

"  Very  likely,  but  still  Sir  Marmaduke  was  no  fool ;  he 
was  on  the  contrary,  a  gentleman  and  a  philosopher." 

"  I  doubt  that,"  said  Jack. 

"  You  are  wrong,  then.  You  have  been  brought  up  in 
an  out  of  the  way  part  of  the  world,  and  are  not  familiar 
with  the  usages  of  civilized  society.  "When  once  a  man 
has  allowed  the  tender  passion  to  take  root  in  his  breast, 
it  cannot  afterwards  be  extinguished  at  will ;  it  grows  and 
grows  like  an  oil  spot,  so  that  what  might  easily  have  been 
mastered  at  first,  makes  us  in  time  its  devoted  slave." 

"  I  cannot  admit,"  said  Fritz,  "  that  any  sensible  man 
would  allow  himself  to  be  treated  in  the  way  you  state." 

"  The  wisest  and  bravest  have  often,  for  all  that,  been 
obliged  to  bend  their  heads  to  such  circumstances  ;  In  fact, 
those  only  escape  whose  hearts  have  been  steeled  by  time 
or  adversity.  Well,  nothing  would  please  the  lady  in  one 
of  her  caprices  short  of  Sir  Marmaduke's  going  alone  to 
the  jungle  and  killing  a  tiger  or  two  for  her.  This  caused 
him  some  little  uneasiness." 

"  I  should  think  so,"  remarked  Jack,  "  unless  he  had 
been  accustomed  to  face  the  animals." 

"  However,  the  widow's  hand  was  to  be  the  reward  of 
the  achievement,  and  the  thing  must  consequently  be 
done.  Being,  however,  as  I  have  said,  a  bit  of  a  philo- 
sopher, he  considered  with  himself  that  if,  by  chance,  he 
should  perish  in  the  attempt,  he  would  lose  the  widow  all 
the  same,  and  that  he  could  not  think  of  with  any  thing 
like  equanimity.  To  extricate  himself  from  this  dilemma 


WILLIS    THE   PILOT.  115 

he  sent  a  despatch,  to  an  enterprising  friend  of  his,  then 
stationed  with  his  regiment  at  Calcutta,  requesting  his 
advice." 

"  And  this  friend,  no  doubt,  sent  him  a  couple  of  tigers 
all  ready  trussed  ?  " 

"  No,  better  than  that ;  he  sent  him  a  strong  iron  cage 
fifteen  feet  square,  very  solid.  This  was  shipped  on  board 
a  cutter  co'nmanded  by  Captain  Littlestone,  and  I  was 
entrusted  with  the  task  of  erecting  it  on  shore,  whilst  an 
express  was  sent  off  to  Sir  Marmaduke." 

"  Ah  !  "  said  Jack,  "  I  begin  to  understand  now." 

"  Well,  he  rigged  himself  in  tiger-hunting  costume,  went 
and  bade  the  lady  good-bye,  who  coolly  wished  him  good 
sport,  mounted  a  horse,  and  rode  off  to  conquer  a  lady 
who,  as  a  proof  of  her  affection,  had  so  cavalierly  consigned 
him  to  the  tender  mercies  of  the  wild  beasts." 

"Why,  it  was  dooming  him  to  certain  destruction,"  said 
Fritz. 

"  In  the  meantime  the  cage  had  been  conveyed  to  a 
valley  surrounded  with  mountains,  the  caves  of  which 
were  known  to  shelter  entire  colonies  of  tigers.  Here 
also  came  Sir  Marmaduke.  The  cage  was  firmly  embedded 
in  the  soil,  the  exterior  was  thickly  studded  over  with 
sharp  spikes  screwed  into  the  bars ;  inside  were  placed  a 
table  and  a  sofa,  with  crimson  velvet  cushions." 

"  A  lady's  boudoir  in  the  wilderness,"  said  Jack. 

"  In  one  corner  there  was  a  case  containing  a  dozen 
bottles  of  pale  ale,  and  as  many  of  champagne  ;  in  another 
was  a  second  case  containing  curry  pies  and  a  variety  of 
preserved  meats ;  in  a  third  case  were  five  and  twenty 
loaded  rifles,  together  with  a  complete  magazine  in  minia- 
ture of  powder  and  shot.  On  the  table  were  sundry  cases 
of  havannahs,  a  box  of  allumettes,  the  last  number  of  the 
Edinburgh  Review,  and  a  copy  of  the  Times" 

"  What  is  the  Times  ?  "  inquired  Jack. 

"  It  is  a  furlong  of  paper,  folded  up  and  covered  with 
news,  advertisements,  and  letters  from  the  oldest  inhabitant 
of  everywhere.  Leaving,  then,  Sir  Marmaduke  seated  in 
the  centre  of  his  cage,  we  towards  night  returned  to  the 
cutter,  first  scattering  twc  or  three  quarters  of  fresh  beef 
in  the  vicinity  of  the  cage." 


116  WILLIS    THB    PILOT. 

"  That  should  have  assembled  all  the  tigers  in  Coro- 
mandel,"  said  Fritz. 

"  Anyhow,  it  brought  enough.  Towards  midnight  Sir 
Marmaduke  could  count  thirty  noble  brutes  capering  in 
the  moonlight  and  feasting  upon  the  beef  that  had  been 
provided  for  them." 

"  What  did  the  Englishman  do  then  ?  " 

"  He  took  aim  at  the  most  magnificent  specimen  of  the 
herd  and  fired.  No  sooner  had  he  done  this  than  the 
whole  pack  came  scampering  towards  the  cage,  thinking, 
doubtless,  they  had  nothing  to  do  but  scrunch  the  bones  of 
the  solitary  hunter.  This  was  the  signal  for  a  regular 
slaughter.  Sir  Marmaduke  discharged  his  rifles  point 
blank  in  the  noses  of  the  animals  that  environed  him  on 
all  sides ;  those  who  were  not  wounded  by  the  balls  were 
severely  injured  by  the  spikes  of  the  cage  in  their  furious 
efforts  to  seize  their  enemy.  The  howling,  yelling,  .and 
fury  was  quite  a  new  sensation  for  Sir  Marmaduke ;  he 
rather  enjoyed  the  thing  whilst  the  excitement  lasted. 
However,  all  things  must  have  an  end  ;  when  the  sun 
appeared  on  the  horizon  the  wounded  retired,  leaving  the 
dead  masters  of  the  situation." 

"I  suppose,  in  the  meantime,"  remarked  Fritz,  "that 
the  amiable  Hindoo  was  considering  whether  or  not,  under 
the  circumstances,  she  should  wear  mourning  for  her 
defunct  cavalier." 

"  Be  that  as  it  may,  the  defunct  made  his  appearance, 
safe  and  sound,  that  same  day,  whilst  the  cutter  stood  out 
to  sea  with  every  vestige  of  the  cage  except  the  dead 
tigers.  Shortly  after,  the  widow  was  astonished  to  see  an 
army  of  coolies  marching  in  procession  towards  her  door, 
all,  like  the  slaves  of  Aladdin,  heavily  laden  ;  and  she  was 
not  awakened  from  her  surprise  till  the  master  of  the 
ceremonies  had  placed  the  following  letter  in  her  hands  : 

"  '  MADAM,  —  With  this  you  will  receive  seventeen 
full-grown  tigers,  which  I  have  had  the  honour  of  shooting 
frr  you. 

"  MARMADUKE  TRAVEES." 

"That  was  a  choice  bijou  for  a  lady,"  sa'd  Jack. 


WILLIS    THE    PILOT.  117 

"  Yes,"  added  Fritz ;  "  and  if  the  ladies  of  Coromandel 
have  stands  in  their  drawing-rooms,  to  display  the  tributes 
to  their  charms,  Sir  Marmaduke's  present  afforded  abun- 
dant material  for  adorning  those  of  the  widow." 

"Well,  the  consequence  was,  that  Sir  Marmaduke's 
name  rung  from  one  end  of  India  to  the  other.  The  feat 
of  killing,  single-handed,  seventeen  tigers,  converted  him 
into  a  hero  of  the  h'rst  magnitude.  No  festival  was  com- 
plete without  him,  he  was  courted  by  the  fashionables  and 
worshipped  by  the  mob  ;  some  enthusiasts  even  proposed 
to  erect  a  tomb  for  him,  that  being  the  way  they  honor 
their  great  men  in  eastern  nations." 

"  Every  country,"  remarked  Fritz,  "  has  its  own  pecu- 
liarities in  this  respect.  The  memory  of  the  illustrious 
men  of  Greece  and  Rome  was  perpetuated  in  the  intrinsic 
merit  of  the  works  of  art  erected  in  their  names.  In 
England  quantity  takes  the  place  of  quality ;  there  is  said 
to  be  in  London  a  statue  of  a  hero  disguised  as  Achilles, 
six  yards  in  height,  and  perched  upon  a  pedestal  twelve 
yards  high." 

"Making  in  all,"  remarked  Jack,  "exactly  eighteen 
yards  of  fame." 

"The  handsome  Hindoo,''  continued  Willis,  "was  proud 
of  the  feat  her  charms  had  inspired.  She  gloried  in  show- 
ing off  the  redoubtable  tiger-slayer  at  her  reunions,  and 
ended  in  being  completely  fascinated  herself  with  her 
former  slave.  The  match  that  she  had  formerly  sneezed 
at  she  now  earnestly  desired,  and,  as  Sir  Marmaduke  did 
not  declare  himself  so  speedily  as  she  desired,  she  deter- 
mined to  give  him  a  little  encouragement  by  sending  one 
of  the  most  inviting  and  most  odoriferous  of  notes." 

"  Sir  Marmaduke  must  then  have  considered  himself 
one  of  the  happiest  of  men,"  said  Fritz. 

"Well,"  continued  Willis,  "neither  man  nor  woman 
can,  in  affairs  of  this  kind,  depend  upon  themselves  for  two 
consecutive  hours.  The  aspirations  of  a  whole  lifetime 
may  be  dispelled  in  five  minutes,  and  the  wishes  of  to-day 
may  become  the  detestations  of  to-morrow.  The  new  sen- 
sations awakened  in  Sir  Marmaduke  by  the  affair  of  the 
cage — his  recollection  of  the  ferocious  brutes  aa  they  clung 


118  WILLIS    THE    PILOT. 

with  expiring  energy  to  the  bars  of  the  cage,  their  streaked 
skins  streaming  with  blood,  the  fearful  howling  and  terrific 
death  yells,  the  formidable  claws  that  were  often  within  an 
inch  of  his  face — had,  somehow  or  other,  chased  the  pas- 
sion he  had  felt  for  the  widow  completely  out  of  his 
breast." 

"Oh,  the  scamp  of  a  Travers !"  said  Jack,  energetically. 

"  He  began  to  ask  himself  coolly  what  a  lady,  who  had 
made  such  extraordinary  demands  upon  him  before  mar- 
riage, might  not  require  him  to  do  after ;  and  the  result  of 
his  cogitations  is  expressed  in  the  following  reply  that  he 
sent  to  the  now  smiling  widow :  — 

" '  Sir  Marmaduke  Travers  is  highly  flattered  by  the 
charming  note  of  the  adorable  daughter  of  Brahma ;  he 
shall  gladly  continue  to  bask  in  the  sunshine  of  her  smiles, 
out  his  ambition  desires  and  will  accept  nothing  more.' " 

"  Flowery  and  laconic,"  said  Fritz. 

"Well,"  inquired  Willis,  "was  I  not  right  in  wishing  to 
aave  the  cage  of  Sir  Marmaduke  here  ?  " 

"  Yes,  but  we  cannot  get  it.  We  have  no  ingenious 
iriend  at  Calcutta  to  send  us  such  a  machine,  and  furnish 
it  with  crimson-cushioned  sofas  and  pale  ale,  so  we  shall 
have  to  rest  satisfied  with  our  own  ingenuity,  tact,  and 
agility." 

Fritz  and  Jack  were  justified  in  relying  upon  their  own 
resources.  They  had  been  often  sorely  tried,  and  never 
had  been  found  wanting  in  cases  of  emergency.  Since 
the  arrival  of  the  Wolstons  their  courage  had  become 
almost  temerity ;  previous  to  that  event,  they  had  been 
content  to  meet  danger  bravely  when  it  was  inevitable,  and 
never  went  deliberately  in  search  of  it.  Now,  however, 
if  we  apply  the  glass  of  which  Sterne  speaks  to  their 
breasts  and  spy  what  is  passing  therein,  we  shall  fu*d  that 
an  imperious  desire  to  become  heroes  had  taken  possession 
of  their  inward  souls  —  a  determination  to  make  them- 
selves conspicuous  at  all  hazards  was  burning  within  them; 
that,  in  fact,  they  were  courting  the  admiration  of  the  new 
audience  that  Providence  had  sent  to  the  colony,  the  praise 
of  which  found  more  favor  in  their  hearts  than  the  pater- 
nal admonitions. 


"WILLIS   THE    PILOT.  119 

This  was  far  from  being  commendable ;  but,  although 
emulation  and  vanity  have  some  features  in  common,  still 
they  must  not  be  confounded :  the  former  consists  in  gener- 
ous efforts  to  equal  or  surpass  some  one  in  something 
praiseworthy ;  the  second  is  a  kind  of  self-love,  that  seeks 
to  purchase  respect  or  flattery  at  no  matter  what  cost;  — 
the  one  is  a  vice,  the  other  a  virtue. 

Fritz  and  Jack  were  not  actuated  by  vanity ;  they  were 
urged  on  by  their  impulses,  without  weighing  the  circum- 
stances that  gave  them  rise ;  and  indeed  they  were  not 
even  conscious  of  being  more  desirous  of  renown  now  than 
they  had  been  hitherto. 

The  temperament  of  Ernest  and  Frank  was  of  another 
kind.  Their  natures  were  much  Jess  excitable,  and  it  did 
not  appear  that  the  recent  arrivals  had  altered  their  out- 
ward demeanor  in  the  slightest  degree;  they  continued 
calm,  staid,  and  reflective,  as  they  had  ever  been. 

All  four  were  a  singular  mixture  of  the  child  and  the 
man — knowing  many  things  that  young  people  are  igno- 
rant of,  they  were  yet  almost  totally  unacquainted  with  the 
ordinary  attributes  of  social  life  —  unsophisticated  and 
naive  to  an  extreme  degree,  they  would  have  appeared  in 
a  fashionable  drawing-room  downright  fools.  On  the  other 
hand,  they  possessed  great  clearness  of  perception,  pres- 
ence of  mind  in  danger,  promptitude  in  action,  and  the 
utmost  coolness  in  the  face  of  apparently  insurmountable 
obstacles  —  qualities  that  would  have  utterly  confounded 
the  young  men  who  shine  in  the  saloons  of  Europe,  whose 
chief  merit  often  consists  in  their  being  familiar  with  the 
unmeaning  conventionalisms  of  fashionable  life. 

At  Prospect  Hill  they  found  the  outhouses  and  planta- 
tions in  much  the  same  position  as  at  Waldeck.  Here  the 
crimson  flowers  of  the  caper  plant,  the  white  flowers  of  the 
tea  plant,  and  the  rich  blossoms  of  the  clove  tree,  perfumed 
the  air  and  promised  a  fragrant  harvest.  This  was  a 
charming  caravansary,  all  ready  with  its  smiles  to  welcome 
the  illustrious  colonists  as  soon  as  they  presented  them- 
selves. 

These  points  being  settled  to  the  satisfaction  of  the  three 
pioneers,  a  sheep  was  taken  on  board  the  pinnace  at  the 
request  of  Willig  —  who  seemed  to  have  taken  a  violent 


120  WILLIS    THE    PILOT. 

fancy  for  mutton  chops  —  and  they  set  sail  towards  the 
east. 

In  the  first  instance  they  made  for  a  projecting  head- 
land that  seemed  to  bar  their  progress  in  that  direction, 
and,  much  to  the  astonishment  of  the  Pilot,  they  entered 
a  cavern  that  formed  the  entrance  to  a  natural  tunnel. 
This,  besides  being  an  interesting  feature  in  the  coast 
scenery,  was  one  of  the  treasures  of  the  colony,  for  it  con- 
tained vast  quantities  of  edible  birds'  nests,  so  much  prized 
by  the  Chinese.  The  voyagers  did  not,  however,  tarry 
here ;  these  were  not  the  objects  they  were  now  in  search 
of.  Nautilus  Bay  and  the  Bay  of  Pearls  were  likewise 
traversed  unheeded,  nor  could  the  attractive  banks  of  the 
St.  John,  fringed  with  verdant  foliage,  divert  them  from 
the  project  they  had  in  contemplation. 

Wise  men,  when  they  indulge  in  folly,  are  often  more 
foolish  than  real  fools  ;  so  it  was  with  Willis  :  now  that  he 
had  joined  in  the  scheme,  he  evinced  more  ardor  in  its 
execution  than  the  young  men  themselves.  He  said  that 
it  would  not  be  enough  to  capture  skins  for  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Wolston,  they  must  also  capture  one  a-piece  for  Mary  and 
Sophia  likewise,  and  talked  as  if  the  adventure  of  Sir  Mar- 
maduke  and  his  seventeen  tigers  had  been  a  bagatelle. 

Some  hours  before  dark  they  landed  at  a  spot  well 
known  to  both  Fritz  and  Jack  ;  it  was  a  place  where 
Becker  and  his  sons  had  some  time  before  been  engaged  in 
deadly  conflict  with  a  herd  of  lions,  and  where  one  of  their 
dogs  had  fallen  a  victim  to  the  enraged  monarchs  of  the 
forest. 

"  My  plan,"  said  Willis,  "  is  to  kill  the  sheep  and  place 
the  quarters  on  the  shore,  just  as  bait  is  thrown  into  the 
water  to  bring  the  fish  within  the  net." 

"  A  reminiscence  of  Sir  Marmaduke,"  said  Jack. 

"  Then,"  continued  Willis,  "  we  shall  light  a  fire  to  take 
the  place  of  the  sun,  who  is  about  to  retire  for  the  night 
This  done,  I  propose  that  we  should  return  to  the  pinnace, 
keep  the  mutton  within  rifle  range,  and  riddle  the  skina 
that  come  to  feast  upon  it." 

After  some  opposition  on  the  part  of  Fritz  and  Jack, 
who  preferred  to  encounter  their  antagonists  on  more  equal 
terms,  the  proposal  of  Willis  was  ultimately  agreed  to. 


CHAPTER  XL 

OX     THE     WATCH  —  FECUNDITY     OF     PLANTS      AND      ANIMALS  — 

LATEST     NEWS     FROM     THE      MOON A      DEATH-KNELL     EVERT 

SECOND THE     INCONVENIENCES     OF     BEINQ     TOO     NEAR    THB 

SUN  —  NARCOTICS  —  WILLIS  CONTRALTO  —  HUNTING  TURNED 
UPSIDE  DOWN ELECTRIC  CLOUDS PARTIALITIES  OF  LIGHT- 
NING  BELLS  AND  BELL-RINGERS  —  CONDUCTING  RODS THB 

RETURN THE  TWO  SISTERS TOBT    BECOMES  A  DRAGOMAN. 

As  is  usual  in  tropical  climates,  a  blazing  hot  day 
was  succeeded  by  an  intensely  dark  night.  The  fire  that 
the  hunters  had  made  on  shore  cast  a  lurid  glare  on  the 
prominent  objects  round  about.  The  flames,  as  they 
fitfully  lit  up  the  landscape  into  that  dim  distinctness 
termed  by  artists  the  chiar  oscuro,  made  the  bushes  and 
trunks  of  trees  appear  like  monsters  issuing  stealthily  from 
the  forest  that  lined  the  background.  There  seemed  to  be 
some  attraction,  however,  elsewhere  for  the  real  monsters, 
not  a  single  wild  beast  having  as  yet  appeared  on  the 
scene. 

The  two  young  men  were  eagerly  straining  their  eyes 
from  the  stern  of  the  pinnace,  whilst  the  dogs  kept  dili- 
gently wagging  their  tails  in  expectation  of  a  signal  for  the 
onset.  The  position  of  Willis  could  be  ascertained  now 
and  then  by  an  eye  of  fire,  which  opened  and  shut  as  he 
inhaled  or  exhaled  the  fumes  of  his  Maryland.  The  ripple 
beat  gently  on  the  sea-line  of  the  boat,  which  oscillated 
with  the  regularity  and  softness  of  a  cradle. 

"  It  is  always  so,"  said  Jack,  impatiently  ;  "  if  we  don't 
want  wild  beasts,  there  are  shoals  of  them  to  be  seen;  but 
if  we  do  want  them,  then  they  are  all  off  to  their  dens." 

"  Perhaps,  there  are  none  now,"  suggested  Willis. 

"  Say  rather,"  observed  Fritz,  "  that  there  ought  to  be 
thousands ;  for  on  the  one  hand  they  multiply  rapidly,  and 
11 


122  "WILLIS    THE    PILOT. 

on  the  other  there  is  no  one  to  destroy  them.  The 
Spaniards  once  left  a  few  cattle  on  St.  Domingo,  and  they 
increased  at  such  a  rate,  that  the  island  very  soon  would 
not  have  been  able  to  support  them,  had  they  not  been 
kept  down  by  constant  slaughter." 

"Besides,"  remarked  Jack,  "the  bovine  race  reproduce 
themselves  more  slowly  than  other  animals ;  a  single  sow, 
according  to  a  calculation  made  by  Vauban,  if  allowed 
to  live  eleven  years,  would  produce  six  millions  of  pigs." 

"  What  a  cargo  of  legs  of  pork  and  sides  of  bacon ! " 
exclaimed  Willis,  laughing. 

"  Then  fish  ;  there  are  more  than  a  hundred  and  sixty 
thousand  eggs  in  a  single  carp.  A  sturgeon  contains  a 
million  four  hundred  and  sixty-seven  thousand  eight  hun- 
dred and  fifty,  whilst  in  some  codfish  the  number  exceeds 
nine  millions." 

"Oh,  you  need  not  favor  us  with  the  'Mariner's  March,' 
Willis ;  what  my  brother  says  is  perfectly  correct." 

"  What,  then,  do  these  shoals  of  creatures  live  upon  ?  " 

"  The  big  ones  upon  the  little  ones ;  fish  devour  each 
other." 

"A  beautiful  harmony  of  Nature,"  remarked  Fritz  drily. 

"  Then  plants,"  continued  Jack,  "  are  still  more,  prolific 
than  animals.  Some  trees  can  produce  as  many  of  their 
kind  as  they  have  branches,  or  even  leaves.  An  elm  tree, 
twelve  years  old,  yields  sometimes  five  hundred  thousand 
pods;  and,  by  the  way,  Willis,  to  encourage  you  in  carrying 
on  the  war  against  the  mosquitoes,  a  single  stalk  of  tobacco 
produces  four  thousand  seeds." 

"  The  leaves,  however,  are  of  more  use  to  me  than  the 
seeds,"  replied  Willis. 

"  This  admirable  proportion  between  the  productiveness 
of  the  two  kingdoms  demonstrates  the  far-seeing  wisdom 
of  Providence.  If  the  power  of  multiplication  in  vege- 
tables had  been  less  considerable,  the  fields,  gardens,  and 
prairies  would  have  been  deserts,  with  only  a  plant  here 
and  there  to  hide  the  nakedness  of  the  land.  Had  God 
permitted  animals  to  multiply  in  excess  of  plants,  the 
entire  vegetation  would  soon  have  been  devoured,  and 
then  the  animals  themselves  would  of  necessity  have 
ceased  to  exist." 


WILLIS    THE   PILOT.  123 

"  How  is  it,  then,"  inquired  Willis,  "  with  this  continual 
multiplication  always  going  on,  the  inhabitants  of  land  and 
sea  do  not  get  over-crowded?" 

"Why,  as  regards  man,  for  example,  if  thirteen  or 
fourteen  human  beings  are  born  within  a  given  period, 
death  removes  ten  or  eleven  others;  but  though  this  leaves 
a  regular  increase,  still  the  population  of  the  globe  always 
continues  about  the  same." 

"  It  may  be  so,  Master  Jack,  but  when  I  was  a  little  boy 
at  school,  I  generally  came  in  for  a  whipping,  if  I  made 
out  two  and  two  to  be  anything  else  than  four." 

"  And  served  you  right  too,  Willis  ;  but  if  the  human 
family  did  not  continually  increase,  if  the  number  of 
deaths  exceeded  continually  that  of  the  births,  at  the  end 
of  a  few  centuries  the  world  would  be  unpeopled." 

"  Very  good ;  but  if,  on  the  other  hand,  there  is  a  con- 
tinual increase,  how  can  the  population  continue  the 
same  ?  " 

"  Because  the  increase  supposes  a  normal  state ;  that  is 
to  say,  the  births  are  only  estimated  as  compared  with 
deaths  from  disease  or  old  age.  But  then  there  are  ship- 
wrecks, inundations,  plagues,  and  war,  which  sometimes 
exterminate  entire  communities  at  one  fell  swoop.  Then 
whole  natfbns  die  out  and  give  place  to  the  redundant 
populations  of  others  ;  phenomena  now  observed  in  the 
cases  of  the  aborigines  of  Australia  and  America." 

"  Very  true." 

"  No  signs  of  furs  yet,"  cried  Fritz,  who  was  every  now 
and  then  levelling  his  rifle  at  the  phantoms  on  shore. 

"  We  need  not  dread,"  continued  Jack,  "  ever  being 
hustled  or  jostled  on  the  earth ;  life  will  fail  us  before 
space.  There  are  now  eight  hundred  millions  of  human 
beings  in  existence,  and,  according  to  the  most  moderate 
computation,  room  enough  for  twice  that  number.  As  it 
is,  the  most  fertile  sections  of  the  earth  are  not  the  most 
populous ;  there  are  four  hundred  millions  in  Asia,  sixty 
millions  in  Africa,  forty  in  America,  two  hundred  and 
thirty  in  Europe,  and  only  seventy  millions  in  the  islands 
and  continent  of  Oceanica ! " 

"  To  which,"  remarked  Fritz,  "  you  may  add  the  eleven 
inhabitants  of  New  Switzerland." 


124  WILLIS   THK    PILOT. 

"Assuming,  then,  this  calculation  to  be  nearly  accurate, 
though  authorities  vary  materially  in  their  computations 
of  the  earth's  inhabitants,  and  regarding  it  in  connexion 
•with  the  average  duration  of  human  life,  a  thousand 
millions  of  mortals  must  perish  in  thirty-three  years ;  to 
descend  to  detail,  thirty  millions  every  year,  three  thousand 
four  hundred  every  hour,  sixty  every  minute,  or  ONE 

ETEBT  SECOND." 

**  Aye,"  remarked  Willis,  "  we  are  here  to-day  and  gone 
to-morrow." 

"  Suppose,  then,  that  the  population  of  the  earth  were 
twice  as  great,  cultivation  would  be  extended,  territories 
that  are  now  lying  waste  would  be  teeming  with  life  and 
covered  with  fertile  fields,  but  the  same  beautiful  equili- 
brium would  be  maintained." 

"  And  the  inhabitants  of  the  planets,"  said  Fritz,  "  what 
are  they  about  ?  " 

a  What  planets  do  you  mean  ?  "  inquired  Willis. 

"  WeB,  all  in  general ;  the  moon,  for  example,  in  par«- 
ticular." 

"  The  moon."  replied  Jack.  "  has,  hi  the  first  place,  no 
atmosphere.  This  we  know,  because  the  rays  of  the  stars 
p««an«r  behind  her  are  not,  in  the  slightest  degree, 
refracted  ;  and  this  proves  that  neither  men.  nor  animals, 
nor  vegetables  of  any  kind,  are  to  be  found  hi  that  planet, 
for  they  could  not  exist  without  air." 

"  That  should  settle  the  question,"  remarked  Willis. 

"  Yes,"  remarked  Fritz ;  -  but  some  theorists,  never- 
theless, insist  that  there  may  be  living  creatures  in  the 
moon,  for  all  that — of  course,  differently  constituted  from 
the  inhabitants  of  our  earth,  and  susceptible  of  existing 
without  air.  There  is,  however,  no  evidence  of  any  kind 
to  support  such  a  theory ;  it  is  a  mere  fancy,  the  dream  of 
an  imaginative  brain.  Upon  the  same  grounds,  it  may  be 
argued,  that  the  interior  of  the  earth  is  inhabited,  and 
that  elves  and  gnomes  are  possible  beings.  Besides,  the 
telescope  has  been  brought  to  so  high  a  degree  of  per- 
fection, that  objects  the  size  of  a  house  can  now  be 
detected  in  the  moon." 

"  It  seems,  I  am  afraid,"  remarked  Jack,  who.  like  his 
brother,  was  getting  annoyed  by  the  phantasmagoria  on 


•VTILLIS   THE   PILOT.  125 

shore,  "  that  we  were  about  as  well  supplied  with  wild 
beasts  here  as  they  are  with  men  in  the  planets." 

*•  In  speaking  of  the  moon,  however,"  continued  Fritz, 
"  I  do  not  imply  all  the  planets ;  for,  certain  as  we  are  that 
the  moon  has  no  atmosphere,  so  we  are  equally  certain  that 
some  of  the  planets  possess  that  attribute.  Still  there  are 
other  circumstances  that  render  the  notion  of  their  being 
inhabited  by  beings  like  ourselves  exceedingly  improbable. 
Mercury,  for  example,  is  so  embarrassed  by  the  solar  rays, 
that  lead  must  always  be  in  a  state  of  fusion,  and  water, 
if  not  reduced  to  a  state  of  vapor,  will  be  hot  enough  to 
boil  the  fish  that  are  in  it.  Uranus,  at  the  other  extremity 
of  the  ?ystem,  receives  four  hundred  tunes  less  heat  and 
light  than  we  do,  consequently  neither  water  nor  any  thing 
else  can  exist  there  in  a  liquid  state ;  what  is  fluid  on  our 
earth  must  be  frozen  up  into  a  solid  mass.  Good,  I  declare 
my  brother  has  fallen  asleep  ! " 

"  It  is  very  —  interesting  —  however,"  said  Willis, 
making  ineffectual  efforts  to  smother  a  yawn. 

"  The  same  difficulty  with  comets ;  there  must  have  been 
some  very  urgent  necessity  for  human  beings  in  order  to 
have  peopled  them.  When  they  pass  the  perihelion " 

"  The  what '{  "  inquired  Willis. 

"The  point  where  they  approach  nearest  the  sun — 
when  they  pass  the  perihelion,  I  was  going  to  say.  the  heat 
they  endure  must  be  terrific  ;  when  on  the  other  hand,  at 
their  extreme  distance  from  that  body,  the  cold  must  be 
intense.  The  comet  of  1680  did  not  approach  within  five 
thousand  myriametres  of  the  sun." 

••  Friends  coming  within  that  distance  of  each  other 
should  at  least  shake  hands,"  said  Willis. 

u  Still,  even  at  that  distance,  the  heat,  according  to 
Xewton.  must  be  like  red-hot  iron,  and  if  constituted  like 
our  earth,  when  heated  to  that  degree,  must  take  fifty 
thousand  years  to  cool." 

••  Fifty  thousand  years  '  "  said  Willis,  yawning  from  ear 
to  ear. 

u  The  central  position  between  these  extremes,  which 
would  either  congeal  oi.r  earth  into  a  mass  of  ice  or  burn 
it  up  into  a  heap  of  cinders,  is  therefore  the  mo?t 
11* 


126  WILLIS    THE   PILOT. 

congenial  to  such  beings  as  ourselves.  Whence  I  con- 
clude  " 

Here  the  crimson  flashes  of  Willis's  pipe,  which  had 
been  gradually  diminishing  in  brilliance  suddenly  ceased  ; 
contralto  notes  issued  from  the  profundities  of  his  breast, 
and  it  became  evident  to  the  orator  that  all  his  audience 
were  sound  asleep. 

"  Whence  I  conclude,"  said  Fritz,  addressing  himself, 
"  that  my  orations  must  be  somewhat  soporiferous." 

Being  thus  left  alone  to  keep  a  look-out  on  shore,  his 
thoughts  gradually  receded  within  his  own  breast,  where 
all  was  rose-colored  and  smiling,  for  at  his  age  rust  has 
not  had  time  to  corrupt,  nor  moths  to  eat  away.  And  it 
was  not  long  before  he  himself,  like  his  two  companions, 
was  fast  locked  in  the  arms  of  sleep. 

How  long  this  state  of  things  lasted  the  chronicle  saith 
not ;  but  the  three  sleepers  were  eventually  awakened  by 
a  simultaneous  howl  of  the  dogs.  They  were  instantly  on 
their  feet,  with  their  rifles  levelled. 

It  was  too  late ;  day  had  broken,  and  there  was  light 
enough  to  convince  them  that  nothing  was  to  be  seen. 
The  sheep's  quarters  had,  however,  entirely  disappeared, 
and  they  had  the  satisfaction  of  knowing  that  they  had 
politely  given  the  denizens  of  the  forest  a  feast  gratis. 

"  Ah,  they  shall  pay  us  for  it  yet,"  said  Jack. 

"  This  is  a  case  of  the  hunters  being  caught  instead  of 
the  game,"  remarked  Fritz. 

"  The  poor  sheep  !  If  Ernest  had  been  here,  he  would 
have  erected  a  monument  to  its  memory." 

"  I  doubt  that ;  epitaphs  are  generally  made  rather  to 
please  the  living  than  to  compliment  the  defunct.  But, 
Willis,  we  must  deprive  you  of  your  office  of  huntsman 
in  chief —  I  shall  go  into  the  forest  and  revenge  this 
insult." 

"  I  have  no  objection  to  abdicate  the  office  of  huntsman, 
but  must  retain  that  of  admiral,  in  which  capacity  I 
announce  to  you  that  there  will  be  a  storm  presently,  and 
that  we  shall  just  have  time  to  make  Rockhouse  before  it 
overtakes  us." 

"  That  is  rather  a  reason  for  our  remaining  where  we 
are." 


WILLIS    THB    PILOT.  127 

"  "We  have  come  for  skins,  and  skins  we  must  have." 

"  Besides,  we  are  two  to  one,  and  in  all  constitutional 
governments  the  majority  rules." 

"Have  you  both  made  up  your  minds?"  inquired 
Willis. 

"  Yes,  we  are  quite  decided." 

"  In  that  case,"  said  Willis,  "  let  us  hoist  the  anchor  and 
be  off  home." 

"  Home !  but  we  are  determined  to  have  the  skins  first." 

"  No,  you  are  not,"  said  Willis ;  "  I  know  you  better 
than  you  know  yourselves.  You  are  both  brave  fellows, 
but  I  know  you  would  not,  for  all  the  skins  in  the  world, 
have  your  good  mother  suppose  that  you  were  buffeted 
about  by  the  waves  in  a  storm." 

"  True  ;  up  with  the  anchor,  Willis,"  said  Fritz. 

"  Be  it  so,"  said  Jack,  shaking  his  ijst  menacingly  at 
the  silent  forest,  "  but  we  shall  lose  nothing  by  waiting." 

The  sailor  had  not  erred  in  his  calculations,  for  they 
had  scarcely  unfurled  the  sail  before  they  heard  the  distant 
rumbling  of  the  storm.  As  soon  as  the  first  flash  of 
lightning  shot  across  the  sky,  Jack  put  his  forefinger  of 
one  hand  on  the  wrist  of  the  other,  and  began  counting 
one  —  two  —  three. 

"  Do  you  feel  feverish  ?  "  inquired  Willis. 

"  No,  not  personally,"  replied  Jack  ;  "  I  am  feeling  the 
pulse  of  the  storm — twenty-four  —  twenty -five — twenty- 
six  —  it  is  a  mile  off." 

"  Aye  !  how  do  you  make  that  out  ?  " 

"  Very  easily ;  you  recollect  Ernest  telling  us  that  light 
travelled  so  rapidly,  that  the  time  it  occupied  in  passing 
from  one  point  to  another  of  the  earth's  surface  was 
scarcely  perceptible  to  our  senses  ?  " 

"  Yes,  but  I  thought  he  was  spinning  a  yarn  at  the 
time." 

"You  were  wrong,  Willis;  he  likewise  told  us  that 
sound  travels  at  the  rate  of  four  hundred  yards  in  a 
eecond." 

"Well,  but " 

"  Have  patience,  Willis  !  When  the  lightning  flashes, 
the  electric  spark  is  discharged,  is  it  not  ?  " 


128  WILLIS    THE    PILOT. 

"  Well,  I  was  never  high  enough  aloft  to  see." 

"But  others  have  been;  Newton  and  Franklin  have 
seen  it.  Now,  if  the  sound  reaches  our  ears  a  second 
after  the  flash,  it  has  travelled  four  hundred  yards.  If  we 
hear  it  twelve  or  thirteen  seconds  after,  it  has  travelled 
twelve  or  thirteen  times  four  hundred  yards,  or  about  half 
a  mile,  and  so  on." 

"  But  what  has  that  to  do  with  your  pulse  ?  " 

"  In  the  first  place,  I  am  in  perfect  health,  am  I  not  ?  " 

"  I  hope  so,  Master  Jack." 

"  Then  when  our  systems  are  in  good  order,  the  pulse, 
keeping  fractions  out  of  view,  beats  once  in  every  second ; 
and  consequently,  though  we  do  not  always  carry  a  watch, 
we  always  have  our  arteries  about  us,  and  may  therefore 
always  reckon  time." 

"  Now  I  understand." 

"Ah!  then  we  are  to  escape  this  time  without  the 
'  Mariner's  March.' " 

"  It  appears,  Master  Jack,  that  you  have  turned  philo- 
sopher as  well  as  your  brothers.  Can  you  tell  me  what 
causes  lightning  ?  " 

"  Yes,  I  can,  Willis.  You  must  know,  in  the  first  place, 
that  all  the  layers  of  the  atmosphere  are,  more  or  less, 
charged  with  electricity." 

"  Ask  him  how,"  said  Fritz  drily. 

"  Ah,  you  hope  to  puzzle  me,"  replied  Jack,  "  but  thanks 
to  Mr.  Wolston,  I  am  too  well  up  in  physics  to  be  easily 
driven  off  my  perch,  and  therefore  may  safely  take  my 
turn  in  philosophising." 

"  Well,  we  are  listening." 

"  The  air,  by  means  of  the  vapor  it  contains,  absorbs 
electricity  from  terrestrial  bodies,  and  so  becomes  a  sort  of 
reservoir  of  this  invisible  fluid.  All  chemical  combinations 
evolve  electricity,  the  air  collects  it  and  stores  it  up  in  the 
clouds.  There,  worshipful  brother,  your  question  is 
answered." 

"  Good,  go  on." 

"  Well,  Willis,  you  must  know,  in  the  second  place,  the 
clouds  are  very  good  fellows,  and  share  with  each  other 
the  good  things  they  possess.  When  one  cloud  meets 


WILLIS   THE   PILOT.  129 

another,  the  one  over-supplied  with  this  fluid  and  the 
other  in  its  normal  state,  there  is  an  immediate  interchange 
of  courtesies,  the  negative  electricity  'of  the  one  is 
exchanged  for  the  positive  of  the  other." 

"  There  does  not  appear,  however,  to  be  much  gene- 
rosity in  this  transaction,  since  the  surcharged  cloud 
does  not  cede  its  superfluous  abundance  without  a  con- 
sideration." 

"  It  is  very  rarely  that  philanthropy  amongst  us  goes 
much  further,"  remarked  Fritz. 

"No,  everybody  is  not  like  Willis,"  rejoined  Jack,  "who 
acts  like  a  prince,  and  gives  legs  of  mutton  gratis  to 
hyenas  and  tigers.  The  discharges  of  electricity  from  one 
cloud  to  another  are  the  flashes  of  lightning,  and  it  is  to 
be  observed  that  the  thunder  is  nothing  more  than  the 
noise  made  by  the  fluid  rushing  through  the  air." 

"  What,  then,  is  the  thunderbolt  ?  " 

"There  is  no  such  thing  as  what  is  popularly  understood 
by  the  term  thunderbolt.  The  lightning  itself,  however, 
often  does  mischief.  This  happens  when  the  discharge, 
instead  of  being  between  two  clouds  in  the  air,  takes  place 
between  a  cloud  and  the  ground  —  a  cloud  surcharged 
with  electricity  understood.  Then  all  intervening  objects 
are  struck  by  the  fluid." 

"  There,  however,  you  £re  wrong,"  said  Fritz.  "  All 
objects  are  not  struck ;  on  the  contrary,  the  fluid  avoids 
some  things  and  searches  out  others,  even  moving  in  a 
zig-zag  direction  to  manifest  these  caprices ;  it  often  dis- 
charges itself  on  or  into  hard  substances,  and  passes  by 
those  which  are  soft  or  feeble." 

"  I  might  say  this  arose  from  a  sentiment  of  generosity," 
added  Jack,  "  but  I  have  other  reasons  to  assign." 

"  So  much  the  better,"  said  Fritz,  "  as  I  should  scarcely 
be  satisfied  with  the  first." 

"  Well,"  continued  Jack,  "  lightning  has  its  likings  and 
dislikings." 

"  Like  men  and  women,"  suggested  Willis. 

"  It  has  a  partiality  for  metal." 

"  An  affection  that  is  not  returned,  however,"  observed 
Fritz. 


130  TflLLIS    THE   PILOT. 

"  If  the  fluid  enters  a  room,  for  example,  it  runs  along 
the  bell  wires,  inspects  the  works  of  the  clock,  and  some- 
times" has  the  audacity  to  pounce  upon  the  money  in  your 
purse,  even  though  a  policeman  should  happen  to  be  in 
the  kitchen  at  the  time." 

"Perhaps,"  remarked  Willis,  "it  is  Socialist  or  Red 
Republican  in  its  notions."  - 

"  It  does  not,  however,  patronise  war,"  replied  Jack ; 
"  I  once  heard  of  it  having  melted  a  sword  and  left  the 
scabbard  intact." 

"  That,  to  say  the  least  of  it,  is  improbable,"  remarked 
Fritz.  "  The  hilt,  or  even  the  point,  might  have  been 
fused ;  but  even  supposing  the  electric  fluid  to  have  been 
capable  of  such  flagrant  preference,  the  scabbard  could 
not  have  held  molten  metal  without  being  itself  consumed." 

"Aye,"  remarked  Willis,  "there  are  plenty  of  non- 
sensical stories  of  that  kind  in  circulation,  because  nobody 
takes  the  trouble  to  test  their  truth.  Still,  according  to 
your  own  account,  a  man  or  woman  runs  no  danger  from 
the  lightning." 

"  I  beg  your  pardon  there,  Willis ;  the  electric  fluid 
does  not  go  out  of  its  way  to  attack  a  human  being,  but  if 
one  should  happen  to  be  in  its  way,  it  does  not  take  time 
to  request  that  individual  to  stand  aside,  it  simply  passes 
through  him,  and  leaves  him 'or  her,  as  the  case  may  be, 
a  coagulated  mass  of  inanimate  tissues." 

"  What  a  variety  of  ways  there  are  of  getting  out  of  the 
world!"  said  WiHis  lugubriously. 

"  Again,"  continued  Jack,  "  anything  that  happens  to 
be  in  the  vicinity  of  the  clouds  when  this  interchange  of 
courtesies  is  going  on,  is  apt  to  draw  the  storm  upon  itself, 
hence  the  continual  war  that  is  carried  on  between  the 
lightning  and  the  steeples." 

"Something  like  an  individual  coming  within  range  ol 
a  cloud  of  mosquitoes,"  suggested  Willis. 

"  A  learned  German  —  one  of  us,"  said  the  scapegrace, 
laughing,  "  calculated,  in  1 783,  that  in  the  space  of  thirty- 
three  years  there  had  been,  to  his  own  knowledge,  three 
hundred  and  eighty-six  spires  struck,  and  a  hundred  and 


WILLI3   THB   PILOT.  131 

twenty  bell-ringers  killed  by  lightning,  without  reckoning 
a  much  larger  number  wounded." 

"And  yet,"  remarked  Willis,  "I  never  heard  of  an 
insurance  against  accidents  by  lightning." 

"  There  are  plenty  of  them,  however,  in  Roman  Catholic 
countries,"  said  Fritz.  "  Every  village  has  one,  and  the 
charge  is  almost  nominal." 

"  How,  then,  do  these  companies  make  it  pay?" 

"They  find  it  answer  somehow,  and  they  never  collapse." 

"  Then  everybody  ought  to  insure." 

"  Yes,  but  there  are  some  obstinate  people  who  do  not 
see  the  good  of  it." 

"If  my  life  had  not  already  been  forfeited,  I  should 
insure  it.  But  how  is  it  done  ?  " 

"  Well,  you  have  only  to  go  into  a  church,  fall  down  on 
your  knees  before  the  priest,  he  will  make  you  invulnerable 
by  a  sign  of  the  cross ;  then,  come  storms  that  pulverize 
the  body  or  crush  the  mind,  you  are  perfectly  safe." 

"  Ah !  that  is  the  way  you  insure  your  lives,  is  it, 
trusting  to  the  priests  rather  than  to  Providence  ?  For  my 
own  part,  I  should  prefer  a  policy  of  insurance  —  that  is 
to  say,  if  my  life  were  of  any  value." 

"  Next  to  steeples,"  continued  Jack,  "  come  tall  tre«s, 
such  as  poplars  and  pines.  Should  you  ever  be  caught  by 
a  storm  in  the  open  country,  Willis,  never  take  shelter 
under  a  tree ;  face  the  storm  bravely,  and  submit  to  be 
deluged  by  the  rain.  Dread  even  bushes,  if  they  are 
isolated.  An  entire  forest  is  less  dangerous  than  a  single 
reed  when  it  stands  alone." 

"  But  you  forget,  brother,  that  when  a  man  stands  alone 
he  is  quite  as  prominent  an  object  as  the  trunk  of  a  tree 
four  or  five  feet  high,  particularly  in  an  open  plain." 

"  Quite  so.  It  is  therefore  advisable,  when  severe 
storms  are  close  upon  us,  to  lie  down  flat  on  the  ground." 

"  Suppose,"  remarked  Fritz,  smiling,  "a  brigade  of 
soldiers  on  the  march  suddenly  to  collapse  in  this  way,  as 
if  before  a  discharge  of  grape," 

"  And  why  not  ?  If  it  is  done  in  the  case  of  grape-shot, 
why  may  it  not  be  done  when  the  artillery  is  a  thousand 
times  more  effective  ?  " 


132  WILLIS    THB   PILOT. 

"Well,  I  suspect  it  would  rather  astonish,  the  com- 
manding officer,  that  is  all." 

"Then,  Willis,  continued  Jack,  "you  must  not  run 
during  a  storm,  because  the  air  you  put  in  motion  by  so 
doing  may  draw  the  electricity  into  the  current." 

"  Do  the  conductors  not  prevent  the  lightning  from 
doing  harm  ?  "  , 

"  Yes,  but  you  cannot  carry  one  of  them  on  your  hat. 
These  rods  are  only  useful  in  protecting  buildings,  and 
then  to  nothing  more  than  double  the  area  of  their  length ; 
it  is  for  this  last  reason  that  roofs  of  public  buildings  have 
them  projecting  in  all  directions." 

"  They  are  a  sort  of  trap  set  for  the  lightning,  are  they 
not?" 

"  Yes,  and  into  which  it  is  pretty  sure  to  fall.  Franklin, 
of  whom  I  spoke  just  now,  was  the  first  to  suggest  that 
bars  of  steel  would  draw  lightning  out  of  a  cloud  sur- 
charged with  electricity." 

"  What  becomes  of  it  when  it  is  caught  ?  " 

"  Keeping  in  view  its  partiality  for  bell-pulls,  a  wire  is 
attached  to  the  rod  down  which  the  unconscious  fluid 
glides." 

"  Like  a  powder-monkey  from  the  main-top." 

"  Exactly ;  till  it  enters  a  well,  and  there  it  is  left  at  the 
bottom  in  company  with  Truth." 

A  practical  storm  had  begun  to  mix  itself  up  with  the 
theory  as  developed  by  Jack,  but  not  before  they  had  very 
nearly  reached  their  destination,  where  they  were  waited 
for  with  the  greatest  anxiety. 

No  sooner  had  they  landed  than  Sophia  ran  to  meet 
Willis,  who  was  advancing  with  Jack. 

"  Ah,  sweetheart,"  she  said,  "  Susan  has  been  so  uneasy 
about  you." 

"  You  are  a  good  girl,  Miss  Soph  —  Susan." 

"  Oh,  if  you  only  knew  how  frightened  we  have  been  ! " 

"  What,  do  you  admit  fear  to  be  one  of  your  accom- 
plishments, Miss  Sophia  ?  "  inquired  Jack. 

"  Certainly,  when  others  are  concerned,  Master  Jack. 
But,  by  the  way,  do  you  recollect  the  chimpanzee?" 

"  Yes,  what  about  the  rascal  ?  " 


WILLIS    THE    PILOT.  133 

"  Oh,  I  must  not  tell  you,  mamma  would  call  me  a  chat- 
terbox ;  you  will  know  by-and-by." 

In  the  meanwhile  Mary,  on  her  side,  was  congratulating 
Toby,  who  kept  scampering  between  herself  and  Fritz,  at 
one  moment  receiving  the  caresses  of  the  one  and  at  the 
next  of  the  other,  with  every  demonstration  of  joy.  This 
had  become  an  established  mode  of  communication  between 
the  young  people  when  Fritz  arrived  from  a  lengthened 
ramble  ;  the  intelligent  brute,  in  point  of  fact,  had  assumed 
the  office  of  dragoman. 

"  Ah,  ah,  Becker,  glad  to  see  you  again,"  said  Willis. 
"Your  sons  are  fountains  of  knowledge,  whilst  I  am " 

"A  very  worthy  fellow,  Willis,  and  I  know  it,"  replied 
Becker,  shaking  him  heartily  by  the  haad. 
12 


CHAPTER  XII. 

MAN   PROPOSES,  BUT   GOD   DISPOSES  —  THB   CHOICE  OF  A  PROFES- 
SION —  CONQUEEOK ORATOR  — ASTRONOMER  —  COMPOSER  — 

PAINTER  —  POKT  —  VILLAGE  CURATE  —  THE  KAFIRS  —  OCCUPA- 
TIONS OF  WOMEN  —  THE  ALPHA  AND  OMEGA  OF  THE  SEA. 

To  the  storm  succeeded  one  of  those  diluvian  showers 
that  have  already  been  described.  Rain  being  merely  a 
result  of  evaporation,  it  was  evident  that  sea  and  land  in 
those  climates  must  perspire  at  an  enormous  rate  to  effect 
such  cataclysms.  In  consequence  of  this  deluge,  the  pro- 
posed excursion  was  indefinitely  postponed.  The  pro- 
visions, the  marvellous  kits,  the  waggon,  were  all  ready ; 
but  Nature,  as  often  happens  under  such  circumstances, 
had  assumed  a  menacing  attitude,  and  for  the  present  for- 
bade the  execution  of  the  project. 

A  sort  of  vague  sadness,  that  generally  accompanies  a 
gloomy  atmosphere,  weighed  upon  the  spirits  of  the  colo- 
nists. Recollections  of  the  Nelson  and  her  sudden  disap- 
pearance thrust  themselves  more  vividly  than  ever  upon 
their  memory ;  and  Willis  was  observed  to  throw  his  sou'- 
wester unconsciously  on  the  ground  —  a  proof  that  remem- 
brances of  the  past  occupied  his  thoughts. 

One  of  the  ladies  was  occupied  in  the  needful  domestic 
operations  of  the  household,  whilst  the  other  sat  with  a 
stocking  on  her  left  arm,  busily  occupied  in  repairing  the 
ravages  of  tear  and  wear  upon  that  useful  though  humble 
garment.  The  two  young  ladies  spun,  as  used  to  do  the 
great  ladies  of  the  court  of  King  Alfred,  and  as  Hercules 
himself  is  said  to  have  done  when  he  changed  his  club  and 
lion's  skin  for  a  spindle  and  distaff  with  the  Queen  of 
Lybia ;  Jack  was  apparently  sketching,  Fritz  had  a  collec- 
tion of  hunting  apparatus  before  him,  and  the  other  two 


WILLIS    THE    PILOT.  135 

yonng  men,  each  with  a  book,  were  deeply  immersed  in 
study. 

This  state  of  things  was  by  no  means  cheerful,  and 
Wolston  determined  to  break  up  the  monotony  by  intro- 
ducing a  subject  of  conversation  likely  to  interest  them  all, 
the  old  as  well  as  the  young. 

"  By  the  way,  gentlemen,"  said  he,  "  it  occurs  to  me  that 
you  have  not  yet  thought  of  selecting  a  profession ;  your 
future  career  seems  at  present  somewhat  obscure." 

"  What  would  you  have  ?  "  inquired  Jack  ;  "  there  is  no 
use  for  lawyers  and  judges  in  our  colony,  except  to  try 
plundering  monkeys  or  protect  jackal  orphans." 

"  True ;  but  suppose  you  were  to  find  yourselves,  by 
some  chance,  again  in  the  great  world,  there  it  is  necessary 
to  possess  a  qualification  of  some  kind ;  a  blacksmith  or  a 
carpenter,  expert  in  his  handicraft,  has  a  better  chance  of 
acquiring  wealth  and  position  than  a  man  without  a  pro- 
fession, however  great  his  talents  may  be ;  an  idler  is  a 
mere  clog  in  the  social  machine,  and  is  often  thrust  aside 
to  browse  in  a  corner  with  monks  and  donkeys." 

"  But  to  acquire  a  profession,  is  not  instruction  and 
practice  necessary?" 

"  Certainly ;  it  is  impossible  to  become  a  proficient  in 
any  art  or  science  by  mere  study  alone ;  but  before  sowing 
a  field,  what  is  done?" 

"  It  is  ploughed  and  manured." 

"And  should  there  be  only  a  few  seeds?" 

"  We  can  sow  what  we  have,  and  reserve  the  harvest 
till  next  season.  By  economising  each  crop  in  this  way, 
we  shall  soon  have  seeds  enough  to  cover  any  extent  of 
land." 

"  May  I  request  you,  Master  Ernest,  to  draw  a  conclu- 
sion from  that  as  regards  sowing  the  seeds  of  a  future 
career  ?  " 

"  I  would  infer,  from  your  suggestion,  that  we  might 
adapt  ourselves  for  such  and  such  a  profession  by  prepar- 
ing our  minds  to  receive  instruction  in  it,  and  we  might 
also  avail  ourselves  in  the  meantime  of  such  sources  of 
information  regarding  it  as  are  at  present  open  to  us.  Th« 


]36  "WILLIS    THE   PILOT. 

physician  in  prospective,  for  example,  might  make  himself 
familiar  with  the  medical  properties  of  such  plants  as  are 
within  his  reach ;  he  might  likewise  examine  the  bones  of 
an  ape,  and  thus,  by  analogy,  become  acquainted  with  the 
framework  of  the  human  body.  The  would-be  lawyer 
might,  in  the  same  way,  avail  himself  of  the  library  to 
obtain  an  insight  into  those  social  mysteries  that  bind  men 
in  communities  and  necessitate  human  laws  for  the  pre- 
servation of  peace  and  order.  Thus,  by  directing  our 
thoughts  into  one  line  of  study,  we  may  form  a  basis  upon 
v/hich  the  superstructure  may  be  easily  erected,  and  the 
necessary  academical  degrees  or  sanction  of  the  university 
obtained." 

"  And,  when  you  see  this,  why  not  adopt  so  commend- 
able a  course  ?" 

"Because  we  may  probably  be  destined  to  remain  here, 
where,  according  to  Jack,  the  learned  professions,  at  least, 
are  not  likely  to  be  much  in  demand." 

u  The  study  of  a  particular  science  or  art  has  charms  in 
itself,  which  amply  compensate  the  student  for  his  labor. 
But,  even  admitting  you  do  not  return  to  the  Old  World, 
you  forget  that  it  is  your  intention  to  colonise  this  terri- 
tory." 

"  It  seems,  however,  that  God  has  willed  it  otherwise." 

"  What  God  does  not  will  in  one  way,  he  may  bring 
about  in  another.  What  reason  have  you  for  supposing 
that  the  Nelson  may  not  return  with  colonists  ?  " 

"  It  will  be  from  the  other  world  then,"  said  Willis. 

"  Yes,  from  the  other  world,"  replied  Jack,  "  but  not  in 
the  sense  you  imply." 

"  Besides,  should  the  Nelson  not  reappear,  that  is  no 
reason  why  another  accident  may  not  drive  another  ship 
upon  the  coast  that  will  be  more  fortunate;  what  has  hap- 
pened to-day  may  surely  happen  again  to-morrow.  And 
in  the  event  of  colonists  arriving,  will  there  not  be  sick  to 
cure,  boundaries  to  determine,  differences  of  opinion  to 
decide,  and  opposing  claims  to  adjudge." 

"  Certainly,  Mr.  Wolston." 

"  Well,  admitting  these  necessities,  what  profession  will 
each  of  you  select?  Let  us  begin  with  you,  Master  Fritz." 


WILLIS    THE    PILOT.  137 

"  The  career,"  replied  Fritz,  "  that  would  be  most  con- 
genial to  my  taste  is  that  of  a  conqueror." 

"  A  conqueror  !  " 

"  Yes ;  Alexander,  Scipio,  Timour  the  Tartar,  and  Gen- 
gis  Khan  are  the  sort  of  men  I  should  like  to  resemble. 
They  have  made  a  tolerable  figure  in  the  world,  and  I 
should  have  no  objection  to  follow  in  their  footsteps." 

"  But  you  forget  that  their  footstep^  are  marked  with 
tears,  disasters,  terror,  and  bloodshed." 

"  These  are  indispensable." 

"Why?" 

"  Once,  when  a  great  commander  was  asked  the  same 
question,  he  replied,  that  you  cannot  make  omelets  without 
breaking  eggs." 

"  Yes,"  remarked  Becker,  "  but  if  you  had  read  the 
anecdote  entire,  you  would  have  seen  that  he  was  asked  in 
return, '  What  use  there  was  for  so  many  omelets.' " 

"  Added  to  which,"  continued  Wolston,  "  that  is  not  a 
normal  career ;  there  is  no  diploma  required  for  it ;  it  is 
an  accident  arising  out  of  adventitious  circumstances, 
sometimes  fostered  by  ambition,  but  no  course  of  study 
can  produce  a  conqueror." 

"  What,  then,  is  the  use  of  military  schools  ?  " 

"  They  are,  to  the  best  of  my  knowledge,  instituted  for 
rearing  defenders  for  one's  country,  and  not  with  a  view 
to  the  subjugation  of  another's." 

"  My  poor  Fritz,"  said  Mrs.  Becker  laughing,  "  I  hope 
when  you  conquer  half  the  world,  you  will  find  an  occu- 
pation for  your  mother  more  in  consonance  with  your 
dignity  than  mending  your  stockings." 

"  Then,  again,"  continued  Wolston,  "  war  cannot  be 
waged  by  a  single  individual." 

"There  must  be  an  enemy  somewhere,"  suggested  Willis. 

"The  difficulty  does  not,  however,  lie  there,"  observed 
Jack ;  "  for,  if  we  have  no  enemies,  it  is  easy  enough  to 
make  them." 

"  There  must,  at  all  events,  be  armies,  magazines,  and 
a  treasury  —  or  eggs,  as  the  great  commander  in  question 
hinted." 

"  True,"  replied  Fritz  ;  "  but  there  is  the  same  difficulty 


138  .    "WILLIS    THE   PILOT. 

as  regards  all  professions  ;  there  can  be  no  barristers 
without  briefs,  no  physicians  without  patients." 

"  You  will  admit,  however,  that  clients  and  patients  are 
not  so  rare  as  hundreds  of  thousands  of  armed  men  and 
millions  of  money." 

"  Brother,"  said  Jack,  "  your  cavalry  are  routed  and 
your  infantry  outflanked." 

"  If  you  are  determined  to  be  a  conqueror,  let  it  be  by 
the  pen  rather  than  by  the  sword  —  or,  what  do  you  say 
to  oratory  ?  It  is  not  easier,  perhaps,  but,  at  all  events, 
eloquence  is  not  denied  to  ordinary  mortals.  You  will  not 
then,  to  be  sure,  rank  with  the  Hannibals,  the  Tamerlanes, 
or  the  Ca^ars  ;  but  you  may  attain  a  place  with  Demos- 
thenes, who  was  more  dreaded  by  Philip  of  Macedon  than 
an  army  of  soldiers." 

"  Or  Cicero,"  remarked  Becker,  "  who  preserved  his 
country  from  the  rapacity  of  Cataline." 

"  Or  Peter  the  Hermit,"  remarked  Frank,  "  who  by 
his  eloquence  roused  Europe  against  the  Saracens." 

"  Or  Bossuet,"  added  Wolston,  "  and  then  you  may 
venture  to  assert  in  the  face  of  kings  that  God  alone  is 
Great,  should  they,  like  Louis  XIV.,  assume  the  sun  a?  an 
emblem,  and  adopt  such  a  silly  scroll  as  '  Nee  pluribus 


Bossuet,  Peter  the  Hermit,  Cicero,  and  Demosthenes, 
are  not  so  bad,  after  all,  as  a  last  resource,"  remarked 
Mrs.  Wolston,  "  and  I  would  recommend  you  to  enrol 
yourself  in  that  list  of  conquerors,  Master  Fritz." 

"  The  more  especially,"  observed  Jack,  "  as  you  have  no 
impediment  in  your  voice,  and  would  not  have  to  undergo 
a  course  of  pebbles  like  Demosthenes." 

"  So  far  as  that  goes,  Jack,"  replied  Fritz,  "  you  would 
possess  a  like  advantage  for  the  profession  as  myself;  but 
I  will  take  time  to  reflect."  Then,  turning  towards  his 
mother,  he  said,  "  Conqueror  or  Jack  Pudding,  mother, 
you  shall  always  find  me  a  dutiful  son." 

His  mother  was  more  gratified  by  this  expression  of 
attachment  than  she  would  have  been  had  he  laid  at  her 
feet  the  fouf  thousand  golden  spurs  found,  in  1302,  on  the 
field  of  Courtray. 


"WILLIS   THE   PILOT.  139 

"  And  now.  Ernest,  what  profession  do  you  intend  tc 
adopt  ?  what  is  your  dream  of  the  future  ?  " 

"  I,  Mr.  Wolston  !  Well,  having  no  taste  for  artillery, 
brilliant  charges,  blood-stained  ruins,  and  the  other 
agremens  of  war,  I  cannot  be  a  hero.  Do  you  know  when 
I  feel  most  happy  ?  " 

"  No,  let  us  hear." 

"  It  is  towards  evening,  when  I  am  reposing  tranquilly 
on  the  banks  of  the  Jackal." 

"  Ah,  1  thought  so,"  cried  Jack ;  "  no  position  so  con- 
genial to  the  true  philosopher  as  the  horizontal." 

"When  the  sun,"  continued  Ernest,  gravely,  "is  retiring 
behind  the  forest  of  cedars  that  bounds  the  horizon;  when 
the  palms,  the  mangoes,  and  guin  trees,  mass  their  verdure 
in  distinct  and  isolated  groups  ;  when  nature  is  making 
herself  heard  in  a  thousand  melodious  voices  ;  when  the 
hum  of  the  insect  is  ringing  in  my  ears,  and  the  breeze  is 
gently  murmuring  through  the  foliage ;  when  thousands 
of  birds  are  fluttering  from  grove  to  grove,  sometimes 
breaking  with  their  wings  the  smooth  surface  of  the  river; 
when  the  fish,  leaping  out  of  their  own  element,  reflect  for 
an  instant  from  their  silvery  scales  the  departing  rays  of 
the  sun  ;  when  the  sea,  stretching  away  like  a  vast  plain 
of  boundless  space,  loses  itself  in  the  distance,  then  my 
eyes  and  thoughts  are  sometimes  turned  upwards  towards 
the  azure  of  the  firmament,  and  sometimes  towards  the 
objects  around  me,  and  I  feel  as  if  niy  mind  were  in  search 
of  something  which  has  hitherto  eluded  its  grasp,  but  which 
it  is  sure  of  eventually  finding.  Under  these  circumstances, 
I  assure  you,  I  would  not  exchange  the  moss  on  which  I 
sat  for  the  greatest  throne  in  Christendom." 

"  But  surely  you  do  not  call  such  a  poetical  exordium  a 
profession  ?  "  remarked  Becker. 

"  It  must  be  admitted,"  said  Wolston,  "  that  the  sun  and 
trees  have  their  uses,  especially  when  the  one  protects  us 
from  the  other;  the  sun,  for  example,  dries  up  the  moisture 
that  falls  from  the  trees,  and  the  trees  shelter  us  from  the 
burning  rays  of  the  sun.  Still,  I  am  at  a  loss  myself  to 
connect  these  things  with  a  profession  in  a  social  point  of 
view." 


140  WILLIS    THE    PILOT. 

"  What  would  you  have  thought,"  inquired  Ernest,  "  if 
you  had  seen  Newton  and  Kepler  gazing  at  the  sky,  before 
the  one  had  determined  the  movements  of  the  celestial 
bodies,  and  the  other  the  laws  of  gravitation  ?  What 
would  you  have  thought  of  Parmentier  passing  hours  and 
days  in  manipulating  a  rough-looking  bulb,  that  possessed 
no  kind  of  value  in  the  eyes  of  the  vulgar,  but  which 
afterwards,  as  the  potato,  became  the  chief  food  of  two- 
thirds  of  the  population  of  Europe?  What  would  you 
think  of  Jenner,  with  his  finger  on  his  brow,  searching  for 
a  means  of  preserving  humanity  from  the  scourge  of  the 
small -pox  ?  " 

"  But  these  men  had  an  object  in  view." 

"  Jenner,  yes ;  but  not  the  other  two.  They  thought, 
studied,  contemplated,  and  reflected,  satisfied  that  one  day 
their  thoughts,  calculations,  and  reflections  would  aid  in 
disclosing  some  mystery  of  Nature  ;  but  it  would  have 
perplexed  them  sorely  to  have  named  beforehand  the 
nature  and  scope  of  their  discoveries." 

"  According  to  you,  then,"  said  Jack,  "  there  could  not 
be  a  more  dignified  profession  than  that  of  the  scarecrow. 
The  greatest  dunderhead  in  Christendom  might  simply,  by 
going  a  star-gazing,  pass  himself  off  as  an  adept  in  the 
occult  sciences,  and  claim  the  right  of  being  a  benefactor 
of  mankind  in  embryo." 

"  At  all  events,"  replied  Ernest,  "  you  will  admit  that, 
so  long  as  I  am  ready  to  bear  my  share  of  the  common 
burdens,  and  take  my  part  in  providing  for  the  common 
wants,  and  in  warding  of  the  common  dangers,  it  is  im- 
material whether  I  occupy  my  leisure  hours  in  reflection 
or  in  rifle  practice." 

"  Well,"  said  Jack,  "  when  you  have  made  some  dis- 
covery that  will  enrol  your  name  with  Descartes,  Huygens, 
Cassini,  and  such  gentlemen,  you  will  do  us  the  honor  of 
letting  us  know." 

"  With  the  greatest  pleasure." 

"  It  is  a  pity  that  Herschell  has  invented  the  telescope : 
he  might  have  left  you  a  chance  for  the  glory  of  that  in- 
vention." 


TVILLI3    THE    PILOT.  141 

'<  If  I  have  not  discovered  a  new  star,  brother,  I  dis- 
covered long  ago  that  you  would  never  be  one." 

"  Well,  I  hope  not ;  their  temperature  is  too  unequal  for 
me  —  they  are  either  freezing  or  boiling:  at  least,  so  said 

Fritz  the  other  day,  whilst  we  were ah,  what  were  we 

doing,  Willis  ?  " 

"  We  were  supposed  to  be  hunting." 

"  Ah,  so  we  were." 

"  Now,  Master  Jack,  it  is  your  turn  to  enlighten  us  as 
to  your  future  career." 

"  It  is  quite  clear,  Mr.  Wolston,  that,  since  my  brothers 
are  to  be  so  illustrious,  I  cannot  be  an  ordinary  mortal  ;• 
the  honor  of  the  family  is  concerned,  and  must  be  con- 
sulted. I  am,  therefore,  resolved  to  become  either  a  great 
composer,  like  Haydn,  Mozart,  and  Beethoven;  a  renowned 
painter,  like  Titian,  Carrache,  or  Veronese ;  or  a  go-eat 
poet,  like  Homer,  Virgil,  Shakspeare,  Dante,  Milton, 
Goethe,  and  Racine." 

"  That  is  to  say,"  remarked  Mrs.  Wolston,  "  that  you 
are  resolved  to  be  a  great  something  or  other." 

"  Decidedly,  madam  ;  on  reflection,  however,  as  I  value 
my  eyesight,  I  must  except  Homer  and  Milton." 

"  But  have  you  not  determined  to  which  of  the  muses 
you  will  throw  the  handkerchief?  " 

"  I  thought  of  music  at  first.  It  must  be  a  grand  thing, 
said  I  to  myself,  that  can  charm,  delight,  and  draw  tears 
from  the  eyes  of  the  multitude  —  that  can  inspire  faith, 
courage,  patriotism,  devotion  and  energy,  and  that,  too,  by 
means  of  little  black  dots  with  tails,  interspersed  with 
quavers,  crotchets,  sharps  and  flats." 

"  Have  you  composed  a  sonata  yet  ?  " 

"  No,  madam  ;  I  was  going  to  do  so,  but  it  occurred  to 
me  that  I  should  require  an  orchestra  to  play  it." 

"And  not  having  that,  you  abandoned  the  idea?" 

"  Exactly,  madam.  I  then  turned  to  poetry.  That  is 
an  art  fit  for  the  gods ;  it  puts  you  on  a  level  with  kings, 
and  makes  you  in  history  even  more  illustrious  than  them. 
You  ascend  the  capitol,  and  there  you  are  crowned  with 
laurel,  like  the  hero  of  a  hundred  fights." 


142  WILLIS   THB   PILOT. 

"  What  is  the  subject  of  your  principal  work  in  this 
line  ?  " 

"Well,  madam,  I  once  finished  a  verse,  and  was  going 
on  with  a  second,  but,  somehow  or  other,  I  could  not  get 
the  words  to  rhyme." 

"  Then  it  occurred  to  you  that  you  had  neither  a  printer 
nor  readers,  and  you  broke  your  lyre  ?  " 

"  I  was  about  to  reproach  you,  Master  Jack,"  said 
Wolston,  "  for  undertaking  too  many  things  at  once ;  but 
I  see  the  ranks  are  beginning  to  thin." 

"  Beautiful  as  poetry  may  be,"  continued  Jack,  "  one 
gets  tired  of  reading  and  re-reading  one's  own  effusions." 

"  It  is  even  often  intensely  insipid  the  very  first  time," 
remarked  Mrs.  Wolston. 

"  There  still  remains  painting,"  continued  Jack.  "  Paint- 
ing is  vastly  superior  to  either  music  or  poetry.  In  the 
first  place,  it  requires  no  interpreter  between  itself  and 
the  public ;  —  what,  for  example,  remains  of  a  melody  after 
a  concert?  nothing  but  the  recollection.  Poe.sy  may  excite 
admiration  in  the  retirement  of  one's  chamber ;  your 
nostrils  are,  as  it  were,  reposing  on  the  bouquet,  though 
often  you  have  still  a  difficulty  in  smelling  anything.  But 
if  once  you  give  life  to  canvas,  it  is  eternal." 

"  Eternal  is  scarcely  the  proper  word,"  remarked  Wols- 
ton :  "  the  celebrated  fresco  of  Leonardo  da  Vinci,  in  the 
refectory  of  the  Dominicans  at  Milan,  is  nothing  but  a 
confused  mass  of  colors  and  figures." 

"  I  answer  that  by  saying  that  the  painting  in  question 
is  only  a  fresco.  Besides,  I  use  the  word  eternal  in  a 
modified  or  relative  sense.  A  painting  is  preserved  from 
generation  to  generation,  whilst  its  successive  races  of 
admirers  are  mingled  with  the  dust.  Then  suppose  a 
painter  in  his  studio ;  he  cannot  look  around  him  without 
awakening  some  memory  of  the  past.  He  can  associate 
with  those  he  loves  when  they  are  absent,  nay,  even  when 
they  are  dead,  and  they  always  remain  young  and 
beautiful  as  when  he  first  delineated  them." 

"  Take  care,"  cried  Ernest,  pushing  back  his  seat,  "  if 
you  go  on  at  that  rate  you  will  take  fire." 


WILLIS  THB  PILOT:  143 

u  No  fear  of  that,  brother,  unless  you  have  a  star  or  a 
comet  in  your  pocket,  in  which  case  you  are  not  far 
enough  away  yet." 

These  occasional  bickerings  between  Ernest  and  Jack 
were  always  given  and  taken  in  good  part,  and  had  only 
the  effect  of  raising  a  good-humored  laugh. 

"  Let  the  painter,"  he  continued,  "  fall  in  with  a  spot 
that  pleases  him,  he  can  take  it  with  him  and  have  it 
always  before  his  eyes.  The  hand  of  God  or  of  man  may 
alter  the  original,  the  forest  may  lose  its  trees,  the  old 
castle  may  be  destroyed  by  fire  or  time,  the  green  meadow 
may  be  converted  into  a  dismal  swamp,  but  to  him  the 
landscape  always  retains  its  pristine  freshness,  the  same 
butterfly  still  flutters  about  the  same  bush,  the  same  bee 
still  sucks  at  the  same  flower." 

"  Really,"  said  Mrs.  Wolston,  "it  is  a  pity,  after  all, 
that  you  did  not  achieve  your  second  verse." 

"And  yet,"  continued  Jack,  "that  is  only  a  copy.  How 
much  more  sublime  when  we  regard  the  painter  as  a 
creator !  If  there  is  in  the  past  or  present  a  heroic  deed 
—  if  there  is  in  the  infinity  of  his  life  one  moment  more 
blessed  than  another,  like  Pygmalion  he  breathes  into  it 
the  breath  of  life,  and  it  becomes  imperishable.  Who 
would  think  a  century  or  two  hence  of  the  victories  of 
Fritz,  unless  the  skill  of  the  painter  be  called  in  to 
immortalize  them ! " 

"  I  agree  with  you  in  thinking  that  the  arts  you  name 
are  the  source  of  beautiful  and  legitimate  emotions.  But 
generally  it  is  better  to  view  them  as  a  recreation  or  pas- 
time, rather  than  a  profession.  They  have  doubtless  made 
a  few  men  live  in  posterity,  but,  on  the  other  hand,  they 
have  embittered  and  shortened  the  lives  of  thousands." 

"You  will  never  guess  what  led  me  to  adopt  this  art  in 
preference  to  the  two  others.  It  was  the  discovery,  that 
we  made  some  years  ago,  of  a  gum  tree,  the  name  of 
which  I  do  not  recollect." 

"  The  myrica  cerifera,"  said  Ernest. 

"  From  the  gum  of  this  tree  the  varnish  may  be  made. 
Now,  like  my  brother,  who,  when  he  sees  the  sun  over- 
head, considers  he  ought  to  profit  by  the  circumstance 


144  WILLIS    THE    PILOT. 

and  become  a  discoverer,  so  I  said  to  myself:  You  have 
varnish,  all  you  want,  therefore,  to  produce  a  magnificent 
painting  is  canvas,  colors,  and  talent ;  consequently,  you 
must  not  allow  such  an  opportunity  to  pass  —  it  would  be 
unpardonable.  Accordingly,  I  set  to  work  with  an  energy 
never  before  equalled ;  and,"  added  he,  showing  the  design 
he  had  just  finished,  "  here  are  two  eyes  and  a  nose,  that 
I  do  not  think  want  expression." 

"  Capital ! "  said  Mrs.  Wolston ;  "  your  painting  will  be 
in  admirable  keeping  with  the  hangings  my  daughters 
have  promised  to  work  for  your  mamma." 

"  Nobody  can  deny,"  continued  Jack,  laughing,  "  that 
the  colony  is  advancing  in  civilization ;  it  already  possesses 
a  conqueror,  a  member  of  the  Royal  Society  minus  the 
diploma,  and  an  Apelles  in  embryo." 

"  It  is  now  your  turn,  Frank." 

"  I,"  replied  Frank,  in  his  mild  but  penetrating  voice, 
"  if  I  may  be  allowed  to  liken  the  flowers  of  the  garden  to 
the  occupations  of  human  life,  I  should  prefer  the  part  of 
the  violet." 

"  It  hides  itself,"  said  Mrs.  Wolston,  "  but  its  presence 
is  not  the  less  felt." 

"  When  I  have  allowed  myself  to  indulge  in  dreams  of 
the  future,  I  have  pictured  myself  dwelling  in  a  modest 
cottage,  partially  shrouded  in  ivy,  not  very  far  from  the 
village  church.  My  coat  is  a  little  threadbare." 

"Why  threadbare?"  inquired  Sophia. 

"  Because  there  are  a  number  of  very  poor  people  all 
round  me,  and  I  cannot  make  up  my  mind  to  lay  out 
money  on  myself  when  it  is  wanted  by  them." 

"  Such  a  coat  would  be  sacred  in  our  eyes,"  said  Mrs. 
Wolston. 

"  In  the  morning  I  take  a  walk  in  my  little  garden  ;  I 
inspect  the  flowers  one  after  the  other ;  chide  my  dog,  who 
is  not  much  of  a  florist;  then,  perhaps,  I  retire  to  my 
study,  where  I  am  always  ready  to  receive  those  who  may 
require  my  aid,  my  advice,  or  my  personal  services." 

Here  Mrs.  Wolston  shook  Fr,ank  very  warmly  by  the 
hand. 

"Sometimes  I  go  amongst  the  laborers  in  the  fields, 


WILLIS    THE    PILOT.  145 

talk  to  them  of  the  rain,  of  the  fine  weather,  and  of  HIM 
who  gives  both.  I  enter  the  home  of  the  artizan,  cheer 
him  in  his  labors,  and  interest  myself  in  the  affairs  of  his 
family ;  I  call  the  children  by  their  names,  caress  them, 
and  make  them  my  friends.  '  I  talk  to  them  of  our 
Redeemer,  and  thus,  in  familiarly  conversing  with  the 
young,  I  find  means  of  instructing  the  old.  They,  perhaps, 
tell  me  of  a  sick  neighbor ;  I  direct  my  steps  there,  and 
endeavor  to  mitigate  the  pangs  of  disease  by  words  of 
consolation  and  hope ;  I  strive  to  pour  balm  on  the 
wounded  spirit,  and,  if  the  mind  has  been  led  away  by  the 
temptations  of  the  world,  I  urge  repentance  as  a  means  of 
grace.  If  death  should  step  in,  then  I  kneel  with  those 
around,  and  join  them  in  soliciting  a  place  amongst  the 
blessed  for  the  departed  soul." 

"  We  shall  all  gladly  aid  you  in  such  labors  of  love," 
said  Mrs.  Wolston. 

"  When  death  has  deprived  a  family  of  its  chief  sup- 
port, then  I  appeal  to  those  whom  God  has  blessed  with 
the  things  of  this  world  for  the  means  of  assisting  the 
widow  and  the  fatherless.  To  one  I  say,  "  You  regret 
having  no  children,  or  bemoan  those  you  have  lost ;  here 
are  some  that  God  has  sent  you.'  I  say  to  another, '  You 
have  only  one  child,  whilst  you  have  the  means  of  sup- 
porting ten  ;  you  can  at  least  charge  yourself  with  two.' 
Thus  I  excite  the  charity  of  some  and  the  pity  of  others, 
till  the  bereaved  family  is  provided  for.  I  obtain  work 
for  those  that  are  desirous  of  earning  an  honest  living,  I 
bring  back  to  the  fold  the  sheep  that  are  straying,  and 
rescue  those  that  are  tottering  on  the  brink  of  infidelity." 

Here  the  girls  came  forward  and  volunteered  to  assist 
Frank  in  such  works  of  mercy. 

"  I  accept  your  proffered  aid,  my  dear  girls,  but,  as  yet, 
I  am  only  picturing  a  future  career  for  myself.  After  a 
day  devoted  to  such  labors  as  these,  I  return  to  my  home, 
perhaps  to  be  welcomed  by  a  little  circle  of  my  own,  for 
I  hope  to  be  received  as  a  minister  of  the  Protestant 
Church,  and,  as  such,  may  look  forward  to  a  partner  in  my 
joys  and  troubles.  Should  Providence,  however,  shape  my 
13 


146  WILLIS   THE    PILOT. 

destiny  otherwise,  I  shall  have  the  poor  and  afflicted  — 
always  a  numerous  family — to  bestow  my  affections  upon. 
But,  whilst  much  of  my  time  is  thus  passed  amongst  the 
sorrowing  and  the  sick,  still  there  are  hours  of  gaiety 
amongst  the  gloom — there  are  weddings,  christenings,  and 
merrymakings — there  are  happy  faces  to  greet  me  as  well 
as  sad  ones — and  I  am  no  ascetic.  I  take  part  in  all  the 
innocent  amusements  that  are  not  inconsistent  with  my 
years  or  the  gravity  of  my  profession  —  but  you  seem 
sad,  Mrs.  Wolston." 

"  Yes,  Frank ;  you  have  recalled  my  absent  son,  Richard, 
so  vividly  to  my  memory,  that  I  cannot  help  shedding  a 
tear." 

"  Is  your  son  in  orders  then,  madam  ?  " 

"  He  is  precisely  what  you  have  pictured  yourself  to  be, 
a  minister  of  the  gospel,  and  a  most  exemplary  young 
man." 

"  If,"  remarked  Becker,  "  we  have  hitherto  refrained 
from  inquiring  after  your  son,  madam,  it  was  because  we 
had  no  wish  to  recal  to  your  mind  the  distance  that  sepa- 
rated you  from  him,  and  we  should  be  glad  to  know  his 
history." 

"  There  is  little  to  relate  ;  he  is  very  young  yet,  and  as 
soon  as  he  had  obtained  his  ordination,  he  was  offered  a 
mission  to  Oregon,  which  he  accepted ;  but  the  ship 
having  been  detained  at  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope,  he  re- 
garded the  accident  as  a  divine  message,  to  convert  the 
heathen  of  Kafraria,  where  he  now  is." 

u  It  is  no  sinecure  to  live  amongst  these  copper-colored 
rascals,"  said  Willis ;  "  they  are  constantly  stealing  the 
cattle  of  the  Dutch  settlers  in  their  neighborhood.  About 
twelve  years  ago,  our  ship  was  stationed  at  the  Cape,  and 
I  was  sent  with  a  party  of  blue  jackets  into  the  interior, 
as  far  as  Fort  Wiltshire,  on  the  Krieskamma,  the  most 
remote  point  of  the  British  possessions  in  South  Africa. 
There  we  dispersed  a  cloud  of  them  that  had  been  for 
weeks  living  upon  other  people's  property.  They  are  tall, 
wiry  fellows,  as  hardy  as  a  pine  tree,  and  as  daring  as  buc- 
caneers. The  chief  of  the  kraals,  or  huts,  wear  leopard 


WILLIS    THE    PILOT.  147 

or  panther  skins,  and  profess  to  have  the  power  of  causing 
rain  to  fall,  besides  an  endless  number  of  other  miraculous 
attributes.  Amongst  them,  a  wife  of  the  ordinary  class 
costs  eight  head  of  cattle,  but  the  price  of  a  young  lady 
of  the  higher  ranks  runs  as  high  as  twenty  cows.  When 
a  Kafir  is  suspected  of  a  crime,  his  tongue  is  touched 
seven  times  with  hot  iron,  and  if  it  is  not  burnt  he  is 
declared  innocent." 

"  I  am  afraid,"  said  Jack,  "  if  they  were  all  subjected 
to  that  test,  they  would  be  found  to  be  a  very  bad  lot. 
But  now,  since  we  have  all  decided  upon  a  profession,  let 
us  hear  what  the  young  ladies  intend  doing  with  them- 
selves ;  let  them  consult  their  imagination  for  a  beautiful 
future  gilded  with  sunshine,  and  embroidered  with  gold." 

"  There  is  only  one  occupation  for  women,"  said  Mrs. 
Becker,  "  and  that  is  too  well  defined  to  admit  of  specula- 
tion, and  too  important  to  admit  of  fanciful  embellish- 
ments." 

"  Well,  then,  mother,  let  us  hear  what  it  is." 

"It  is  to  nurse  you,  and  rear  you,  when  you  are  unable 
to  help  yourselves ;  to  guide  your  first  steps,  and  teach 
you  to  lisp  your  first  syllables.  For  this  purpose,  God  has 
given  her  qualities  that  attract  sympathy  and  engender 
love.  She  is  so  constituted  as  to  impart  a  charm  to  your 
lives,  to  share  in  your  labors,  to  soothe  you  when  you  are 
ruffled,  to  smooth  your  pillow  when  you  are  in  pain,  and 
to  cherish  you  in  old  age ;  bestowing  upon  you,  to  your 
last  hour,  cares  that  no  other  love  could  yield.  These, 
gentlemen,  are  the  duties  and  occupations  of  women  ;  and 
you  must  admit,  that  if  it  is  not  our  province  to  com- 
mand armies,  or  to  add  new  planets  to  the  galaxy  of  the 
firmament ;  that  if  we  have  not  produced  an  Iliad  or  an" 
TEnead,  a  Jerusalem  Delivered,  or  a  Paradise  Lost,  an1 
Oratorio  of  the  Creation,  a  Transfiguration,  or  a  Laocoon, 
we  have  not  the  less  our  modest  utility." 

"  I  should  think  so,  mother,"  replied  Jack  ;  "  it  would 
take  no  end  of  philosophers  to  do  the  work  of  one  of 
you." 

"  It  surprises  me,"  said  Willis,  "  that  not  one  of  you 


148  WILLIS    THE    PILOT. 

has  selected  the  finest  profession  in  the  world —  that  of  a 
sailor." 

"  The  finest  profession  of  the  sea,  you  mean,  Willis. 
There  is  no  doubt  of  its  being  the  finest  that  can  be  exer- 
cised on  the  ocean,  since  it  is  the  only  one.  If  it  is  the 
best,  Willis,  it  is  also  the  worst." 

"  It  has  also  produced  great  men,"  continued  Willis ; 
"  there  are  Columbus,  Vasco  de  Gama,  and  Captain  Cook, 
to  whom  you  are  indebted  for  a  new  world." 

"  No  thanks  to  them  for  that,"  said  Jack ;  "  if  they  had 
not  discovered  a  new  world  we  should  have  been  in  an  old 
one." 

"  That  does  not  follow,"  remarked  Ernest ;  "  the  new 
world  would  have  existed  even  if  it  had  not  been  discov- 
ered, and  you  might  have  found  your  way  there  all  the 
same." 

"  Not  very  likely,"  replied  Jack,  "  unless  one  of  the 
stars  you  intend  to  discover  had  shown  us  the  way  ;  other- 
wise it  would  only  have  existed  in  conjecture  ;  and  as 
nobody  under  such  circumstances  would  have  dreamt  of 
settling  in  it,  they  would  not  have  been  shipwrecked  during 
the  voyage." 

"  Very  true,"  remarked  Fritz  ;  "  if  we  had  not  been 
here  we  should,  very  probably,  have  been  somewhere  else, 
and  perhaps  in  a  much  worse  plight.  Let  me  ask  if  there 
is  any  one  here  who  regrets  his  present  position  ?  " 

Willis  was  about  to  reply  to  this  question,  but  Sophia 
observing  that  there  was  something  wrong  with  the  hand- 
kerchief that  he  wore  round  his  neck,  hastened  towards 
him  to  put  it  to  rights,  and  he  was  silent. 

The  hour  had  now  arrived  when  the  families  separated 
for  the  night.  Mary  was  preparing  as  usual  to  recite  the 
evening  prayer,  but  before  doing  so  she  whispered  a  few 
words  in  her  mother's  ear. 

"  Yes,  my  child  ; "  and,  turning  to  Frank,  she  added, 
"  Since  .you  are  determined  to  adopt  the  ministry  as  a 
profession,  it  is  but  right  that  we  should  for  the  future 
entrust  ourselves  to  your  prayers." 

The  two  families  were  now  located  in  their  respective 


WILLIS    THE    PILOT.  149 

eyries ;    and  Jack,  whilst  escorting  the  Wolstons   to  the 
foot  of  their  tree,  said  to  Sophia, 

"  I  thought   the  chimpanzee  had    been   playing   some 
prank." 

"  So  he  has.     Has  nobody  told  you  of  it  ?  " 

"  No,  not  a  soul." 

"  Then  I  will   be  as  discreet  as  my  neighbors ;   good 
night,  Master  Jack." 
13* 


CHAPTER  XHI. 

HUBERT  AND  CECILIA THE    LITTLE    ANGELS  —  A  CATASTROPHE 

THE     DEPART JRE MARRIAGE     OF     THE     DOGE     WITH      THE 

ADRIATIC-  -SOVEVUGNS    OF   THE    SEA DANTE    AND    BEATRIX 

ELEONORA  AND  1  4SSO  —  LAURA  AND  PETRARCH THE  RE- 
TURN  SURPRISES-- WHAT  ONE  FINDS  IN  TURBOTS A  HOR- 
ROR  THE  PRIC^  C*  CRIME BALLOONING PHILIPSON  AND 

THE  "CHOLERA  —  A  .METAMORPHOSIS  —  ADVENTURE  OF  TUB 
CHIMPANZEE ARE  ^HT  RICH? 

NEXT  day  the  sky  was  shrouded  in  dense  masses  of 
loud,  some  grey  as  lead,  some  livid  as  copper,  and  some 
-jluck  as  ink.  Towards  evening  the  two  families,  as  usual, 
themselves  into  a  talking  party,  and  Wolston, 
g  them  to  listen,  began  as  follows  : — 

"TL  re  were  two  rich  IL.U  chants  in  Bristol,  between 
whom  <*  •»  eiy  close"  intimacy  Lad  for  a  long  time  existed. 
One  of  lLu,"»i,  whom  I  shall  call  Henry  Foster,  had  a 
daughter;  aid  the  other,  Nicholas  Philipson,  had  a  son, 
and  the  two  fathers  had  destined  ti'ese  children  for  one 
another.  The  boy  was  a  little  older  than  the  girl,  and 
their  tastes,  habits,  and  dispositions  Deemed  to  fit  them 
admirably  for  each  other,  and  so  to  ra^fy  the  decision  of 
the  parents.  Little  Herbert  and  Cecilia  were  almost  con- 
stantly together.  They  had  a  purse  in  common,  into 
which  they  put  all  the  pieces  of  bright  gold  they  received 
as  presents  on  birthdays  and  other  festive  occasions.  In 
summer,  when  the  two  families  retired  to  a  retreat  that  one 
of  them  had  in  the  country,  the  children  were  permitted  to 
visit  the  cottagers,  and  to  assist  the  distressed,  if  they 
chose,  out  of  their  own  funds  —  a  permission  which  they 
availed  themselves  of  so  liberally  that  they  were  called  by 
the  country  people  the  two  little  angels." 

"  What  a  pity  there  are  no  poor  people  \?re ! "  said 
Sophia,  dolefully. 


WILLIS   THE   PILOT.  151 

"  Why?"  inquired  her  mother. 

"  Because  we  might  assist  them,  mamma." 

"  It  is  much  better,  however,  as  it  is,  my  child ;  our 
assistance  might  mitigate  the  evils  of  poverty,  but  might 
not  be  sufficient  to  remove  them." 

This  reasoning  did  not  seem  conclusive  to  Sophia,  who 
shook  her  head  and  commenced  plying  her  wheel  with 
^doubled  energy. 

When  Herbert  Philipson  was  twelve  years  of  age  he 
was  sent  off  to  school,  and  Cecilia  was  confided  to  the  care 
of  a  governess,  who,  under  the  direction  of  Mrs.  Foster, 
was  to  undertake  her  education.  But  neither  music  nor 
drawing,  needlework,  grammars  nor  exercises,  could  make 
little  Cecilia  forget  her  absent  companion.  Absence,  that 
cools  older  friendships,  had  a  contrary  effect  on  her  heart ; 
the  months,  weeks,  days,  and  hours  that  were  to  elapse 
before  Herbert  returned  for  the  holidays,  were  counted 
and  recounted.  When  that  period  —  so  anxiously  desired 
—  at  length  arrived,  there  was  no  end  of  rejoicing :  she 
told  Herbert  of  all  the  little  boys  and  little  girls  she  had 
clothed  and  fed,  of  the  old  people  she  had  relieved,  of  the 
tears  she  had  shed  over  tales  of  woe  and  misery,  how  she 
had  carried  every  week  a  little  basket  covered  with  a  white 
napkin  to  widow  Robson,  how  often  she  had  gone  into  the 
damp  and  dismal  cottage  of  the  dying  miner,  and  how 
happy  she  always  made  his  wife  and  their  nine  pitiful 
looking  children." 

"  That  is  a  way  of  conquering  human  hearts,"  remarked 
Mrs.  Becker,  "  often  more  effective  than  those  referred  to 
the  other  day." 

"  Once,  when  Herbert  was  at  home  for  the  holidays,  he 
accompanied  Cecilia  on  her  charitable  visits,  and  was 
greatly  surprised  to  find  that  blessings  were  showered 
upon  his  own  head  wherever  they  went ;  people,  whom  he 
had  never  seen  before,  insisted  upon  his  being  their  bene- 
factor. This  he  could  not  make  out.  At  last,  by  an 
accident,  he  discovered  the  secret  —  Cecilia  had  been  dis- 
tributing her  gifts  in  his  name  !  He  remonstrated  warmly 
against  this,  declaring  that  he  had  ro  wish  to  be  praised 
and  blessed  for  doin^  things  that  he  had  no  hand  in, 


152  WILLIS   THE   PILOT. 

Finding  that  his  protestations  were  of  no  avail,  he  deter- 
mined, on  the  eve  of  his  returning  to  school,  to  have  his 
revenge." 

"  He  did  not  buy  Cecilia  a  doll,  did  he?"  inquired  Jack. 

"  No ;  he  collected  all  the  eatables,  clothing,  blankets, 
and  money  he  could  obtain  4  went  amongst  the  poorest  of 
the  cottages,  and  distributed  the  whole  in  Cecilia's  name." 

"Ah,"  remarked  Mrs.  Becker,  "  it  is  a  pity  we  could  not 
all  remain  at  the  age  of  these  children,  with  the  same 
purity,  the  same  innocence,  and  the  same  freshness  of  sen- 
sation ;  the  world  would  then  be  a  veritable  Paradise." 

"  For  some  years  this  state  of  things  continued,  the 
affection  between  the  young  people  strengthened  as  they 
grew  older,  the  occasional  holiday  time  was  always  the 
happiest  of  their  lives.  Herbert,  in  due  course,  was  trans- 
ferred from  school  to  college,  where  he  obtained  a  degree, 
and  rapidly  verged  into  manhood.  Cecilia  from  the  girl 
at  length  bloomed  into  the  young  lady.  A  day  was  finally 
fixed  when  they  were  to  be  bound  together  by  the  holy 
ties  of  the  church;  everything  was  prepared  for  their 
union,  when  the  commercial  world  was  startled  by  the 
announcement  that  Philipson  was  a  ruined  man.  A  ship 
in  which  he  had  embarked  a  valuable  freight  had  been 
wrecked,  and  an  agent  to  whom  he  had  entrusted  a  large 
sum  of  money  had  suddenly  disappeared." 

"  How  deplorable  ! "  cried  Fritz. 

"  Not  so  very  unfortunate,  after  all,"  remarked  Mary. 

"  What  makes  you  think  so?" 

"  Because  nothing  had  occurred  to  interrupt  the  mar- 
riage ;  only  one  of  the  families  was  ruined,  and  there  was 
still  enough  left  for  both." 

"  But,"  said  Fritz,  ''  even  admitting  that  the  friendship 
between  the  two  families  continued  uninterrupted,  and 
that  the  father  of  Cecilia  was  willing  to  share  his  property 
with  the  father  of  Herbert,  still  the  young  man,  in  the 
parlance  of  society,  was  a  beggar ;  and  it  is  always  hard 
ibr  a  man  to  owe  his  position  to  a  woman,  and  to  become, 
as  it  were,  the  protege  of  her  whom  he  ought  rather  to 
protect." 

"  If  that  is  the  view  you  take,  Master  Fritz,  then  I  agree 


WILLIS   THE   PILOT.  153 

with  you  that  the  misfortune  was  deplorable,"  said  Mary; 
bending  at  the  same  time  to  hide  her  blushes,  under  pre- 
tence of  mending  a  broken  thread. 

"And  what  if  Cecilia's  father  had  been  ruined  instead 
of  Herbert's  ?  "  inquired  Jack. 

"I  should  say,"  replied  Sophia,  "that  we  have  as  much 
right  to  be  proud  and  dignified  as  you  have." 

"  The  best  way  in  such  a  case,"  observed  Willis,  laugh- 
ing, "  would  be  for  both  parties  to  get  ruined  together." 

"  Herbert,"  continued  Wolston,  "  was  a  youth  of  reso- 
lution and  energy.  He  entertained  the  same  opinion  as 
Fritz  ;  and  instead  of  wasting  his  time  in  idle  despondency, 
got  together  some  articles  of  merchandise,  and  sailed  for 
the  Indian  Archipelago,  promising  his  friends  that  he 
would  return  to  his  native  land  in  two  years." 

"Two  years  is  a  long  time,"  remarked  Mary;  "but 
sometimes  it  passes  away  very  quickly." 

"  Ah ! "  observed  Sophia,  "  Cecilia,  in  the  meantime, 
would  redouble  her  charities  and  her  prayers." 

"  The  two  years  passed  away,  then  a  third,  and  then  a 
fourth,  but  not  a  single  word  had  either  been  heard  of  or 
from  the  absentee.  Cecilia  was  rich,  and  her  hand  was 
sought  by  many*  wealthy  suitors,  but  hitherto  she  had 
rejected  them  all." 

"  The  dear,  good  Cecilia,"  cried  Sophia. 

"  Up  till  this  period  the  family  had  permitted  her  to  have 
her  own  way.  But  as  it  is  necessary  for  authority  to  pre- 
vent excesses  of  all  kinds,  they  thought  it  time  now  to 
interfere ;  they  could  not  allow  her  to  sacrifice  her  whole 
life  for  a  shadow.  Her  parents,  therefore,  insisted  upon 
her  making  a  choice  of  one  or  other  of  the  suitors  for  her 
hand.  She  requested  grace  for  one  year  more,  which  was 
granted." 

"  Come  back,  truant,  quick ;  come  back,  Master  Her- 
bert ! "  cried  Sophia. 

"  There  now,  Willis,"  cried  Jack,  "  you  see  the  effect  of 
your  new  world ;  people  go  away  there,  and  never  come 
back  again." 

"  Oh,  but  you  must  bring  him  back  in  time,  father;  you 
must  indeed,"  urged  Sophia. 


151  WILLIS   THE   PILOT. 

"  If  it  were  only  a  romance  I  were  relating  to  you, 
Sophia,  I  could  very  easily  bring  him  back ;  but  the  narra- 
tive I  am  giving  you  is  a  matter  of  fact,  which  I  cannot 
alter  at  wifl.  There  would  be  no  difficulty  in  bringing  a 
richly-laden  East  Indiaman,  commanded  by  Captain 
Philipson,  into  the  Severn,  and  making  Herbert  and  Ce- 
cilia conclude  the  story  in  each  other's  arms,  but  it  would 
not  be  true." 

"  Then  if  I  had  been  Cecilia,  I  should  have  become  a 
nun,"  said  Mary,  timidly. 

"  Exaggeration,  my  daughter,  is  an  enemy  to  truth.  It 
is  easy  to  say,  '  I  would  become  a  nun,'  and  in  Roman 
Catholic  countries  it  is  quite  as  easy  to  become  one ;  but, 
though  it  may  be  sublime  to  retire  in  this  way  from  the 
world,  it  is  frightful  when  a  woman  has  afterwards  to 
regret  the  inconsiderate  step  she  has  taken,  and  which  is 
often  the  case  with  these  poor  creatures." 

"  As  you  said  of  myself,"  remarked  Willis,  "  it  is  a 
crime  to  go  down  with  a  sinking  ship  so  long  as  there  is  a 
straw  to  cling  to." 

"  I  presume,"  continued  Wolston,  "  that  during  this  year 
poor  Cecilia  prayed  fervently  for  the  return  of  her  old 
playfellow ;  but  her  prayers  were  all '  in  vain,  the  year 
expired,  and  still  no  news  of  the  young  man ;  at  last  she 
despaired  of  ever  seeing  him  again,  and,  after  a  severe 
struggle  with  herself,  she  decided  upon  complying  with 
the  desire  of  her  parents  and  her  friends.  A  few  months 
after  the  expiring  of  the  year  of  grace,  she  was  the  affianced 
bride  of  a  highly  respectable,  well-to-do,  middle-aged 
gentleman.  John  Lindsey,  her  intended  husband,  could 
not  boast  of  his  good  looks  ;  he  was  little,  rather  stout,  was 
deeply  pitted  in  the  face  with  the  small-pox,  and  had  a 
very  red  nose,  but  he  was  considered  by  the  ladies  of 
Bristol  as  a  very  good  match  for  all  that." 

"  Oh,  Cecilia,  how  ridiculous  !  "  exclaimed  Sophia. 

"  Better,  at  all  events,  than  turning  nun,"  said  Jack. 

"The  family  this  season  had  gone  to  pass  the  summer 
at  the  sea-coast ;  and  one  day  that  Cecilia  and  her 
intended  were  taking  their  accustomed  walk  along  the 
shore " 


WILLIS   THE   PILOT.  155 

"•  Holloa ! "  cried  Jack,  "  the  truant  is  going  to  appear, 
after  all." 

"  John  Lindsey,  observing  a  ring  of  some  value  upon 
Cecilia's  finger,  politely  asked  her  if  she  had  any  objec- 
tions to  tell  him  its  history.  She  replied  that  she  had 
none,  and  told  him  it  was  a  gift  of  young  Philipson's.  '  I 
am  well  acquainted  with  your  story,  said  Lindsey, '  and  do 
not  blame  the  constancy  with  which  you  have  treasured 
the  memory  of  that  young  man ;  on  the  contrary,  I  respect 
you  for  it  —  in  fact,  it  was  the  knowledge  of  your  self- 
sacrifice  to  this  affection  and  all  its  attendant  circum- 
stances, that  led  me  to  solicit  the  honor  of  your  hand;  for, 
said  I  to  myself,  one  who  has  evinced  so  much  devotion 
for  a  mere  sentiment,  is  never  likely  to  prove  unfaithful 
to  sacred  vows  pledged  at  the  altar/  '  Come  what  may, 
you  may  at  least  rely  upon  that,  sir,'  she  answered. 
'  Then,'  continued  Lindsey,  '  as  an  eternal  barrier  is  about 
to  be  placed  between  yourself  and  your  past  affections, 
perhaps  you  will  pardon  my  desire  to  separate  you,  as 
much  as  possible,  from  everything  that  is  likely  to  recal 
them  to  your  mind.'  Saying  that,  he  gently  drew  the 
ring  from  her  finger,  and  threw  it  into  the  sea." 

It  was  strongly  suspected  that  Mary  shed  a  tear  at  this 
point  of  the  recital. 

"  It  is  all  over  with  you  now,  Herbert,"  cried  Fritz. 

"  You  had  better  make  a  bonfire  of  your  ships,  like 
Fernando  Cortez  in  Mexico ;  or,  if  you  are  on  your  way 
home,  better  pray  for  a  hurricane  to  swallow  you  up,  than 
have  all  your  bright  hopes  dashed  to  atoms,  when  you 
arrive  in  port." 

"  I  am  only  a  little  girl,"  said  Sophia ;  "  but  I  know 
what  I  should  have  said,  if  the  gentleman  had  done  the 
same  thing  to  me." 

"  And  what  would  you  have  said,  child  ?  "  inquired  her 
mother. 

"I  should  have  said,  that  I  was  not  the  Doge  of  Venice, 
and  had  no  intention  of  marrying  the  British  Channel." 

"  Can  you  describe  the  ceremony  to  which  you  refer  ?  " 

"  Yes ;  but  it  would  interrupt  papa's  story,  and  Jack 
would  laugh  at  me." 


156  WILLIS   THE   FILOT. 

"  Never  mind  my  story,"  replied  her  father,  "  there  is 
plenty  of  time  to  finish  that." 

"  And  as  for  me,"  said  Jack,  "  though  I  do  not  wear  a 
cocked  hat  and  knee  breeches,  and  though,  in  other 
respects,  my  tailor  has  rather  neglected  my  outward  man, 
still  I  know  what  is  due  to  a  lady  and  a  queen." 

"  There,  he  begins  already  !  "  said  Sophia. 

"  Never  mind  him,  child ;  go  on  with  your  account  of 
the  marriage." 

"  Well,"  began  Sophia,  "  for  a  long  time,  there  had  been 
disputes  between  the  states  of  Bologna,  Ancona,  and  Ven- 
ice, as  to  which  possessed  the  sovereignty  of  the  Adriatic." 

"  If  it  had  been  a  dispute  about  the  Sovereignty  of 
the  ocean  in  general,"  remarked  Willis,  "  there  would 
have  been  another  competitor." 

"  Venice,"  continued  Sophia,  "  carried  the  day,  and 
about  1275  or  76  she  resolved  to  celebrate  her  victory  by 
an  annual  ceremony.  For  this  purpose,  a  magnificent 
galley  was  built,  encrusted  with  gold,  silver,  and  precious 
stones.  This  floating  bijou  was  called  the  £ucentaure, 
was  guarded  in  the  arsenal,  whence  it  was  removed  on  the 
eve  of  the  Ascension.  Next  day  the  Doge,  the  patriarch, 
and  the  Council  of  Ten  embarked,  and  the  galley  was 
towed  out  to  the  open  sea,  but  not  far  from  the  shore. 
There,  in  the  presence  of  the  foreign  ambassadors,  whilst 
the  clergy  chanted  the  marriage  service,  the  Doge 
advanced  majestically  to  the  front  of  the  galley,  and  there 
formally  wedded  the  sea. " 

"  He  might  have  done  worse,"  observed  Willis. 

"  The  ceremony,"  continued  Sophia,  "  consisted  in  the 
Doge  throwing  a  ring  into  the  sea,  saying,  '  We  wed  thee, 
O  sea!  to  mark  the  real  and  perpetual  dominion  we  possess 
over  thee.' " 

"  And  it  may  be  added,"  observed  Becker,  "  that  the 
history  of  Venice  shows  how  religiously  the  spouses  of  the 
Adriatic  kept  their  vows." 

"  Now,"  said  Sophia,  "  that  I  have  told  my  tale,  let  us 
hear  what  became  of  Cecilia." 

"  Well,  the  marriage  took  place  the  morning  after 
Herbert's  rin  had  been  thrown  to  the  fishes.  Whilst  t^e 


WILLIS    THE   PILOT.  157 

bride,  bridegroom,  and  their  friends  were  congratulating 
each  other  over  the  wedding  breakfast,  as  is  usual  in 
England  on  such  occasions,  Cecilia's  father  was  called  out 
of  the  room." 

"  Too  late,"  remarked  Fritz. 

"  Herbert  Philipson  had  arrived  that  same  morning ; 
but,  as  Fritz  observes,  he  was  just  an  hour  too  late.  He 
had  acquired  a  fortune,  but  his  long-cherished  hopes  of 
happiness  were  completely  blasted." 

"  Why  did  he  stay  away  five  years  without  writing  ?  " 
inquired  Mrs.  Wolston. 

t  "  He  had  written  several  times,  but  at  that  time  no 
regular  post  had  been  established,  and  his  letters  had  never 
reached  their  destination." 

"  When  did  he  find  out  that  Cecilia  was  married  ?  " 

"  Well,  some  people  think  it  more  humane  to  kill  a  man 
by  inches  rather  than  by  a  single  blow  of  the  axe.  Not 
so  with  Herbert's  friends  ;  the  first  news  that  greeted  him 
on  landing  were,  that  his  ever-remembered  Cecilia  was 
probably  at  that  moment  before  the  altar  pledging  her 
vows  to  another." 

"  I  should  rather  have  had  a  chimney-pot  tumble  on  my 
head,"  remarked  Willis. 

"  Herbert  was  a  man  in  every  sense  of  the  word  —  the 
mode  of  his  departure  proves  that.  On  hearing  this 
painful  intelligence,  he  simply  covered  his  face  with  his 
hands,  and,  after  a  moment's  thought,  resolved  to  see  his 
lost  bride  at  least  once  more." 

"  Poor  Herbert ! "  sighed  Mary. 

"  Foster  was  thunderstruck  when  the  stranger  declared 
himself  to  be  the  son  of  his  old  friend ;  and,  after  cordially 
bidding  him  welcome,  sorrowfully  asked  him  what  he 
meant  to  do.  '  I  should  wish  to  see  Mrs.  Lindsey  in  pre- 
sence of  her  husband,'  he  replied,  '  providing  you  have  no 
objections  to  introduce  me  to  the  company.'" 

"  Bravo !  "  ejaculated  Willis. 

"  Foster  could  not  refuse  this  favor  to  an  unfortunate, 

who  had  just  been  disinherited  of  his  dearest  hopes.    He, 

therefore,  took  Herbert  by  the  hand  and  led  him  into  the 

room.    Nobody  recognized  him.    '  Ladies  and  gentlemen,' 

14 


158  WILLIS   THE   PILOT. 

said  he,  'permit  me  to  introduce  Mr.  Herbert  Philipson, 
who  has  just  arrived  from  Sumatra.'  You  may  readily 
conceive  the  dismay  this  unexpected  announcement  called 
up  into  the  countenances  of  the  guests.  There  was  only 
one  person  in  the  room  who  was  calm,  tranquil,  and 
unmoved  —  that  person  was  Cecilia  herself.  She  rose 
courteously,  bade  him  welcome,  hoped  he  was  well,  coolly 
asked  him  why  he  had  not  written  to  his  friends,  and 
politely  asked  him  to  take  a  seat  beside  herself  and  hus- 
band, just,  for  all  the  world,  as  if  he  had  been  some 
country  cousin  or  poor  relation  to  whom  she  wished  to 
show  a  little  attention." 

"  I  would  rather  have  been  at  the  bottom  of  the  sea 
than  in  her  place,  for  all  that,"  said  Mary. 

"  Why  ?  She  had  nothing  to  reproach  herself  with. 
Had  she  not  waited  long  enough  for  him  ?  " 

"Young  heads,"  remarked  Becker,  "are  not  always 
stored  with  sense.  A  foolish  pledge,  given  in  a  moment 
of  thoughtlessness  is  often  obstinately  adhered  to  in  spite 
of  reason  and  argument.  The  young  idea  delights  in 
miraculous  instances  of  fidelity.  What  more  charming  to 
a  young  and  ardent  mind  than  the  loves  of  Dante  and 
Beatrix,  of  Eleonora  and  Tasso,  of  Petrarch  and  Laura, 
of  Abelard  and  Heloise,  or  of  Dean  Swift  and  Stella? 
Young  people  do  not  reflect  that  most  of  these  stories  are 
apocryphal,  and  that  the  men  who  figure  in  them  sought 
to  add  to  their  renown  the  prestige  of  oi'iginality ;  they 
put  on  a  passion  as  ordinary  mortals  put  on  a  new  dress, 
they  yielded  to  imagination  and  not  to  the  law  of  the 
heart,  and  almost  all  of  them  paid  by  a  life  of  wretched- 
ness the  penalty  of  their  dreams." 

"  That  is,  I  presume,"  remarked  Mrs.  Wolston,  "  you 
do  not  object  to  any  reasonable  amount  of  constancy,  but 
you  object  to  its  being  carried  to  an  unwarrantable  excess." 

"  Exactly  so,  madam,"  replied  Becker ;  "  constancy,  like 
every  thing  else  when  reasonable  limits  are  exceeded, 
becomes  a  vice." 

"  The  merriments  of  the  marriage  breakfast,"  continued 
Wolston  "  slightly  interrupted  by  the  arrival  of  the  new 
guest,  were  resumed.  Fresh  dishes  were  brought  in,  and, 


TTILLIS   THE    PILOT.  159 

amongst  others,  a  fine  turbot  was  placed  on  the  table. 
The  gentleman  who  was  engaged  in  carving  the  turbot 
struck  the  fish-knife  against  a  hard  substance." 

"  I  know  what ! "  exclaimed  two  or  three  voices. 

"  I  rather  think  not,"  said  Wolston,  drily. 

"Oh,  yes,  the  ring  !  the  ring ! " 

"  No,  it  was  merely  the  bone  that  runs  from  the  head  to 
tlip  tail  of  the  fish." 

"Oh,  father,"  cried  Sophia,  "how  can  you  tease  us  so?" 

"  If  they  had  found  the  ring,"  replied  Wolston,  laughing, 
"  I  should  have  no  motive  for  concealing  it.  Fruit  was 
afterwards  placed  before  Herbert,  and,  when  nobody  was 
looking,  he  pulled  a  clasped  dagger  out  of  his  pocket." 

Here  Sophia  pressed  her  hands  closely  on  her  ears,  in 
order  to  avoid  hearing  what  followed. 

"  It  was  a  very  beautiful  poignard,"  continued  Wolston, 
"  and  rather  a  bijou  than  a  weapon ;  and,  as  the  servants 
had  neglected  to  hand  him  a  fruit-knife,  he  made  use  of  it 
in  paring  an  apple." 

"  Is  it  all  over  ? "  inquired  Sophia,  removing  a  hand 
from  one  ear. 

"  Alas !  yes ! "  said  Jack,  lugubriously,  "  he  has  been 
and  done  it." 

"  O  the  monster !  " 

"  Travelling  carriages  having  arrived  at  the  door  for 
the  bridal  party,  Herbert  quietly  departed." 

"  What !  "  exclaimed  Sophia,  "  did  they  not  arrest  and 
drag  him  to  prison  ?  " 

"  Oh,"  replied  Jack,  "  the  crime  was  not  so  atrocious  as 
it  appears." 

"  Not  atrocious  ! " 

"  No ;  you  must  bear  in  mind  that  young  Philipson  had 
passed  the  preceding  five  years  of  his  life  amongst  demi- 
savages,  whose  manners  and  customs  he  had,  to  a  certain 
extent,  necessarily  contracted.  In  some  countries,  what 
we  call  crimes  are  only  regarded  as  peccadillos.  In 
France,  for  example,  till  very  lately,  there  existed  what 
was  called  the  law  of  combette,  by  right  of  which  pardon 
might  be  obtained  for  any  misdeed  on  payment  of  a  cer- 
tain sum  of  money.  There  was  a  fixed  price  for  every 


160  WILLlg    THE    PILOT. 

imaginable  crime.  A  man  might  consequently  be  a  Blue 
Beard  if  he  liked,  it  was  only  necessary  to  consult  the 
tariff  in  the  first  instance,  and  see  to  what  extent  his  means 
would  enable  him  to  indulge  his  fancy  for  horrors." 

"  On  quitting  the  house,"  continued  Wolston,  "  Herbert 
Philipson  bent  his  way  to  the  shore,  and  shortly  after  was 
observed  to  plunge  into  the  sea." 

"  So  much  the  better,"  exclaimed  Sophia ;  "  it  saved  his 
friends  a  more  dreadful  spectacle." 

"  The  weather  being  fine  and  the  water  warm,  Herbert 
enjoyed  his  bath  immensely ;  he  then  returned  to  his  hotel, 
went  early  to  bed,  and  slept  soundly  till  next  morning." 

"  The  wretch  !  "  cried  Sophia,  "  to  sleep  soundly  after 
assassinating  his  old  playfellow,  who  had  suffered  so  much 
on  his  account." 

"  It  is  pretty  certain,"  continued  Wolston,  "  that,  if 
Philipson  had  been  left  entirely  to  himself,  he  would 
always  have  shown  the  same  degree  of  moderation  he  had 
hitherto  displayed." 

"  Oh,  yes,  moderation !  "  said  Sophia. 

"  But  his  friends  began  to  prate  to  him  about  the 
shameful  way  he  had  been  jilted  by  Cecilia,  and,  by  con- 
stantly reiterating  the  same  thing,  they  at  last  succeeded 
in  persuading  him  that  he  was  an  ill-used  man.  His  self- 
esteem  being  roused  by  this  silly  chatter,  he  began  to 
affect  a  ridiculous  desolation,  and  to  perpetrate  all  manner 
of  outrageous  extravagances." 

"  Bad  friends,"  remarked  Willis,  "  are  like  sinking  ships ; 
they  drag  you  down  to  their  own  level." 

"  The  first  absurd  thing  he  did  was  to  purchase  a  yacht, 
and  when  a  storm  arose  that  forced  the  hardy  fishermen 
to  take  shelter  in  port,  he  went  out  to  sea,  and  it  is  quite 
a  miracle  that  he  escaped  drowning.  Then,  if  there  were 
a  doubtful  scheme  afloat,  he  was  sure  to  take  shares  in  it. 
Nothing  delighted  him  more  than  to  go  up  in  a  balloon  ; 
he  would  have  gladly  swung  himself  on  the  car  outside  if 
the  proprietor  had  allowed  him." 

"  I  have  often  seen  balloons  in  the  air,"  remarked 
Willis,  "but  I  could  never  make  out  their  dead  reckoning." 

"  A  balloon,"  replied  Ernest,  "  is  nothing  more  than  an 


WILLIS   THE   PILOT.  161 

artificial  cloud,  and  its  power  of  ascension  depends  apon 
the  volume  of  air  it  displaces. 

"  Very  good,  Master  Ernest,  so  far  as  the  balloon  itself 
is  concerned ;  but  then  there  is  the  weight  of  the  car, 
passengers,  provisions,  and  apparatus  to  account  for." 

"  Hydrogen  gas,  used  in  the  inflation  of  balloons,  is 
forty  times  lighter  than  air.  If  a  balloon  is  made  large 
enough,  the  weight  of  the  car  and  all  that  it  contains, 
added  to  that  of  the  gas,  will  fall  considerably  short  of  the 
weight  of  the  air  displaced  by  the  machine." 

"  I  suppose  it  rises  in  the  air  just  as  an  empty  bottle 
well  corked  rises  in  the  water  ?  " 

"  Very  nearly.  Air  is  lighter  than  water ;  consequently, 
any  vessel  filled  with  the  one  will  rise  to  the  surface  of 
the  other.  So  in  the  case  of  balloons.  The  gas,  in  the 
first  place,  must  be  inclosed  in  an  envelope  through  which 
it  cannot  escape.  Silk  prepared  with  India-rubber  is  the 
material  usually  employed.  As  the  balloon  rises,  the  gas 
in  the  interior  distends,  because  the  air  becomes  lighter 
the  less  it  is  condensed  by  its  superincumbent  masses ; 
hence"  it  is  requisite  to  leave  a  margin  for  this  increase  in 
the  volume  of  the  gas,  otherwise  the  balloon  would  burst 
in  the  air." 

"  If  a  balloon  were  allowed  to  ascend  without  hindrance 
where  would  it  stop  ?  " 

"  It  would  continue  ascending  till  it  reached  a  layer  of 
air  as  light  as  the  gas  ;  beyond  that  point  it  could  not  go." 

"  And  if  the  voyagers  do  not  wish  to  go  quite  so  far  ?  " 

"  Then  there  is  a  valve  by  which  the  gas  may  be  allowed 
to  escape,  till  the  weight  of  the  machine  and  its  volume  of 
air  are  equal,  when  it  ceases  to  ascend.  If  a  little  more 
is  permitted  to  escape,  the  balloon  descends." 

"  And  should  it  land  on  the  roof  of  a  house  or  the  top 
of  a  tree,  the  voyagers  have  their  necks  broken." 

"  That  can  only  happen  to  bunglers ;  there  is  not  the 
least  necessity  for  landing  where  danger  is  to  be  appre- 
hended. When  the  aeronaut  is  near  the  ground,  and  sees 
that  the  spot  is  unfavorable  for  debarkation,  he  drops  a 
little  ballast,  the  balloon  mounts,  and  he  comes  down 
aain  somewhere  else." 


162  WILLIS   THE   PILOT. 

"  The  fellow  that  made  the  first  voyage  must  have  been 
very  daring." 

"The  first  ascent  was  made  by  Montgolfier  in  1782, 
and  he  was  followed  by  Hosiers  and  d'Arlandes." 

"  With  your  permission,  father,"  said  Ernest,  "  I  will 
claim  priority  in  aerial  travelling  for  Icarus,  Dcedalus,  and 
Phjeton." 

"  Certainly ;  you  are  justified  in  doing  so.  Gay- 
Lussac,  a  philosophic  Frenchman,  rose,  in  1804,  to  the 
height  of  seven  thousand  yards." 

"  He  mu?t  have  felt  a  little  giddy,"  remarked  Jack. 

"  Most  of  the  functions  of  the  body  were  affected,  more 
or  less,  by  the  extreme  rarity  of  the  air  at  that  height. 
Its  dryness  caused  wet  parchment  to  crisp.  He  observed 
that  the  action  of  the  magnetic  needle  diminished  as  he 
ascended,  sounds  gradually  ceased  to  reach  his  ear,  and 
the  wind  itself  ceased  to  be  felt." 

"  That,  of  course,"  remarked  Ernest,  "was  when  he  was 
travelling  in  the  same  direction  and  at  the  same  speed." 

"  Well,"  said  Jack,  "  we  can  find  materials  here  for  a 
balloon ;  the  ladies  have  silk  dresses,  there  is  plenty  of 
India-rubber  —  we  used  to  make  boots  and  shoes  of  it ; 
hydrogen  gas  can  be  obtained  from  a  variety  of  substances. 
What,  then,  is  to  prevent  us  paying  a  visit  to  some  of 
Ernest's  friends  in  the  skies  ?  " 

"  Unfortunately  for  your  project,  Jack,  no  one  has  dis- 
covered the  art  of  guiding  a  balloon ;  consequently, 
instead  of  finding  yourself  at  Cassiope,  you  might  land  at 
Sirius,  where  your  reception  would  be  somewhat  cool." 

"  But  what  became  of  Herbert  ?  "  inquired  one  of  the 
ladies. 

"  Singularly  enough,  he  escaped  all  the  dangers  he  so 
recklessly  braved,  and  all  the  bad  speculations  he  embarked 
in  turned  out  good.  Somehow  or  other,  the  moment  he 
took  part  in  a  desperate  scheme  it  became  profitable." 

"  Ah  !  "  exclaimed  Sophia,  "  his  victim,  like  a  guardian 
angel,  continued  to  watch  over  him." 

"  When  the  cholera  appeared  in  England,  he  was  sure 
to  be  found  where  the  cases  were  most  numeious.  He 
followed  up  the  pest  with  so  much  pertinacity  and  pub- 


WILLIS    THE    PILOT.  163 

licity,  that  it  was  no  unusual  thing  to  find  it  announced  in 
the  newspapers  that  Philipson  and  the  cholera  had  arrived 
in  such  and  such  a  town." 

"  The  bane  and  the  antidote,"  remarked  Jack. 

"If  Cecilia  had  been  one  of  those  women  who  delight, 
in  horse-racing,  fox-hunting,  opera-boxes,  and  public  exe- 
cutions, she  would  have  been  highly  amused  to  see  her 
old  friend's  name  constantly  turning  up  under  such  extra- 
ordinary circumstances." 

"  Is  she  not  dead,  then  ?  "  inquired  Sophia,  with  aston- 
ishment. » 

"  It  appears  that  her  wounds  were  not  mortal,"  quietly 
replied  her  mother. 

"  Besides,"  observed  Jack,  "  there  are  human  frames  so 
constituted  that  they  can  bear  an  immense  amount  of 
cutting  and  slashing.  So  in  the  case  of  animals;  there, 
for  instance,  is  the  fresh-water  polypus  —  if  you  cut  this 
ci'eature  lengthwise  straight  through  the  middle,  a  right 
side  will  grow  on  the  one  half  and  a  left  side  on  the  other, 
so  that  there  will  be  two  polypi  instead  of  one.  The  same 
thing  occurs  if  you  cut  one  through  the  middle  crosswise, 
a  head  grows  on  the  one  half  and  a  tail  on  the  other,  so 
that  you  have  two  entire  polypi  either  way." 

"  And  you  may  add,"  observed  Ernest,  "  since  so  inte- 
resting a  subject  is  on  the  tapis,  that  if  two  of  these  polypi 
happen  to  quarrel  over  their  prey,  the  largest  generally 
swallows  the  smallest,  in  order  to  get  it  out  of  the  way; 
and  the  latter,  with  the  exception  of  being  a  little  cramped 
for  space,  is  not  in  the  slightest  degree  injured  by  the 
operation." 

"  And  does  that  state  of  matters  continue  any  length  of 
time  ?  " 

"  The  polypus  that  is  inside  the  other  may  probably  get 
tired  of  confinement,  in  which  case  it  makes  its  exit  by  the 
same  route  it  entered;  but,  if  too  lazy  to  do  that,  it  makes 
a  hole  in  the  body  of  its  antagonist  and  gets  out  that  way. 
But,  what  is  most  curious  of  all,  these  processes  do  not 
appear  to  put  either  of  the  creatures  to  the  slightest  incon- 
venience." 

"I  am  quite  at  a  loss  to  make  you  all  out,"  said  Sophia. 


164  WILLIS    THE    PILOT. 

'•  Well,  ray  child,"  replied  her  mother,  "  you  should  not 
close  up  your  ears  in  the  middle  of  a  story." 

"  Cecilia,  or  rather  Mrs.  Lindsey,  however,"  continued 
Wolston,  "was  a  pious, painstaking,  simple-minded  woman, 
who  devoted  her  whole  attention  to  her  domestic  duties. 
Notwithstanding  her  fortune,  she  did  not  neglect  the 
humblest  affairs  of  the  household,  and  thought  only  of 
making  her  husband  pleased  with  his  home.  When  she 
was  told  of  the  vagaries  of  Philipson,  she  prayed  in  private 
that  he  might  be  led  from  his  evil  ways,  and  could  not 
help  thanking  Providence  that  she  was  not  the  wife  of 
such  a  dreadful  scapegrace." 

"  I  should  think  so,"  remarked  Mrs.  Becker. 

"  At  last,  Herbert  Philipson  astonished  even  his  own 
companions  by  a  crowning  act  of  folly.  There  was  then 
a  young  woman  in  Bristol,  of  good  parentage,  but.  an 
unmitigated  virago  ;  her  family  were  thoroughly  ashamed 
of  her  temper  and  her  exploits.  They  allowed  her  to 
have  her  own  way,  simply  for  fear  that,  through  contra- 
diction, she  might  plunge  herself  into  even  worse  courses 
than  those  she  now  habitually  followed.  In  short,  she  was 
the  talk  and  jest  of  the  whole  town." 

"  What  a  charming  creature  !  "  remarked  Mrs.  Becker. 

"  No  servant  of  her  own  sex  could  put  up  with  her  for 
two  days  together ;  she  styled  everybody  that  came  near 
her  fools  and  asses,  and  did  not  hesitate  to  strike  them  if 
they  ventured  to  contradict  her.  She  got  on,  however, 
tolerably  well  with  ostlers,  stable-boys,  cabmen,  and  such 
like,  because  they  could  treat  her  in  her  own  style,  and 
were  not  ruffled  by  her  abuse." 

*'  How  amiable  ! "  exclaimed  Mrs.  Wolston. 

"  Herbert  heard  of  this  young  person,  and,  through  a 
fast  friend  of  his  own,  obtained  an  introduction  to  her, 
and  on  the  very  first  interview  he  offered  her  his  hand. 
He  was  known  still  to  be  a  wealthy  man,  so  neither  the 
lady  herself  nor  anybody  connected  with  her  made  the 
slightest  objection  to  the  match,  thinking  probably  that, 
if  there  were  six  of  the  one,  there  were  ut  least  half  a 
dozen  of  the  other." 

"  They  ought  to  have  gone  to  Bedlam,  instead  of  to 
church,"  said  Willis  ;  "  that  is  my  idea." 


WILLIS    THE    PILOT.  165 

"  Nevertheless,  they  went  to  church ;  and,  after  the 
marriage,  Cecilia  sought  and  obtained  an  introduction  to 
the  lady,  and,  whether  by  entreaties  or  by  her  good 
example,  I  cannot  say;  be  this  as  it  may,  the  unpromising 
personage  in  question  became  one  of  the  best  wives  and 
the  best  mothers  that  ever  graced  a  domestic  circle  —  in 
this  respect  even  excelling  the  pattern  Cecilia  herself; 
and,  what  is  still  more  to  the  purpose,  she  succeeded  in 
completely  reforming  her  husband.  When  I  left  England 
there  was  not  a  more  prosperous  merchant,  nor  a  more 
estimable  man  in  the  whole  city  of  Bristol,  than  Herbert 
Philipson." 

"  From  which  we  may  conclude,"  remarked  Mrs.  Becker, 
"  it  is  always  advisable  to  have  angels  for  friends." 

"  We  may  also  conclude,"  remarked  Mrs.  Wolston, 
"  that  when  a  stroke  of  adversity,  or  any  other  misfortune, 
overturns  the  edifice  of  happiness  we  had  erected  for  the 
future,  we  may  build  a  new  structure  with  fresh  material, 
which  may  prove  more  durable  than  the  first." 

"Talking  of  having  angels  for  friends,"  said  Becker, 
"  puts  me  in  mind  of  the  association  of  Saint  Louis 
Gonzaga,  at  Rome.  On  the  anniversary  of  this  saint,  the 
young  and  merry  phalanx  forming  the  association  march 
in  procession  to  one  of  the  public  gardens.  In  the  centre 
of  this  garden  a  magnificent  altar  has  been  previously 
erected,  on  which  is  placed  a  chafing-dish  filled  with 
burning  coals.  The  procession  forms  itself  into  an  immense 
ring  round  the  altar,  broken  here  and  there  by  a  band  of 
music.  These  bands  play  hymns  in  honor  of  the  saints, 
and  other  morceaux  of  a  sacred  character.  Each  member 
of  the  association  holds  a  letter  inclosed  in  an  embossed 
and  highly  ornamented  envelope,  bound  round  with  gay- 
colored  ribbons  and  threads  of  gold.  These  letters  are 
messages  from  the  young  correspondents  to  their  friends 
in  heaven,  and  are  addressed  to  '  II  Santo  Giovane  Luig: 
Gonzaga,  in  Paradiso.'  At  a  given  signal,  the  letters,  in 
the  midst  of  profound  silence,  are  placed  on  the  chafing- 
dish.  This  done,  the  music  resounds  on  all  sides,  and  the 
assembly  burst  out  into  loud  acclamations,  during  which 
the  letters  are  supposed  to  be  carried  up  into  heaven  by 
the  angeli." 


166  WILLIS    THE   PILOT. 

"  A  curious  and  interesting  ceremony,"  remarked  Mrs. 
Wolston,  "  and  one  that  may  possibly  do  good,  inasmuch 
as  it  may  induce  the  young  people  composing  the  asso- 
ciation to  persevere  in  generous  resolutions." 

The  two  families  again  separated  for  the  night.  And 
whilst  the  young  men  were  escorting  the  Wolstons  to  their 
tree,  Sophia  went  towards  Jack.  "  Will  you  tell  me," 
inquired  she,  "what  happened  whilst  I  had  my  ears  closed 
up,  Jack?" 

"  Yes,  with  all  my  heart,  if  you  will  tell  me  first  what 
the  chimpanzee  had  been  about  during  our  absence." 

"  Well,  he  got  up  into  our  tree  when  we  were  out  of 
the  way.  After  soaping  his  chin,  he  had  taken  one  of 
papa's  razors,  and  just  as  he  was  beginning  to  shave  him- 
self, some  one  entered  and  caught  him." 

"  Oh,  is  that  all  ?  What  I  have  to  tell  you  is  a  great 
deal  more  appalling  than  that." 

"  Well,  then,  be  quick." 

"  But  I  am  afraid  you  will  be  shocked." 

"  Is  it  very  dreadful  ?  " 

"  More  so  than  you  would  imagine.  If  you  dream 
about  it  during  the  night,  you  will  not  be  angry  with  me 
for  telling  you  ?  " 

"  No,  I  will  be  courageous,  and  am  prepared  to  hear 
the  worst." 

"  What  was  your  father  saying  when  you  shut  up  your 
ears  ?  " 

"  Herbert  had  just  pulled  out  a  dagger." 

"  And  when  you  took  your  hands  away  ?  " 

"  All  was  then  over ;  Herbert  had  done  some  dreadful 
thing  with  the  dagger,  and  I  want  to  know  what  it  was." 

"  He  pared  an  apple  with  it,"  replied  Jack,  bursting 
into  a  roar  of  laughter,  and,  running  off,  he  left  Sophia 
to  her  reflections. 

A  few  seconds  after  he  returned.  This  time  he  had 
almost  a  solemn  air,  the  laughter  had  vanished  from  his 
visage,  like  breath  from  polished  steel. 

"Miss  Sophia,"  inquired  he  gravely,  "are  you  rich?" 

"  I  don't  know,  Master  Jack  ;  are  you  ?  " 

"  Well,  I  have  not  the  slightest  idea  either." 


CHAPTER  XIV. 

THI    TEARS   OF    CHILDHOOD    AND    RAIN    OF    THE    TROPICS  — 
CHARLES'S    WAIN  —  VOLUNTARY    ENLISTMENT  —  A    LIKENESS 

GUARANTEED THE  WORLD  AT  PEACE ALAS,  POOR  MART1. 

THE  SAME  BREATH  FOR  TWO  BEINGS THE  FIRST  PILLOW 

—  THE  LOGIC  OF  THE  HEART  —  HOW  FRITZ  SUPPORTED  GRIEF 
A  GRAIN  OF  SAND  AND  THE  HIMALAYA. 

AT  daybreak  next  morning,  all  the  eyes  in  the  colony 
were  busily  engaged  in  scrutinizing  the  sky.  This  time 
the  operation  seemed  satisfactory,  for  immediately  after- 
wards, all  the  hands  were,  with  equal  diligence,  occupied 
in  packing  up  and  making  other  preparations  for  the 
meditated  excursion  to  the  remote  dependencies  of  New 
Switzerland. 

The  dense  veil  that  the  day  before  had  shrouded  them 
in  gloom  was  now  broken  up  into  shreds.  The  azure 
depths  beyond  had  assumed  the  appearance  of  a  blue 
tunic  bespattered  with  white,  and  the  clouds  suggested  the 
idea  of  a  celestial  shepherd,  driving  myriads  of  sheep  to 
the  pasture.  Children  alone  can  dry  up  their  tears  with 
the  rapidity  of  Nature  in  the  tropics ;  perhaps  we  may 
have  already  made  the  remark,  and  must,  therefore,  beg 
pardon  for  repeating  the  simile  a  second  time. 

In  a  short  time,  the  two  families  were  assembled  on  the 
lawn,  in  front  of  the  domestic  trees  of  falcon's  Nest, 
ready  to  start  on  their  journey.  The  cow  and  the  buffalo 
were  yoked  to  the  carriage,  which  was  snugly  covered 
over  with  a  tarpauling,  thrown  across  circular  girds,  like 
the  old-fashioned  waggons  of  country  carriers.  Frank 
mounted  the  box  in  front ;  Mrs.  Becker,  Wolston,  and 
Sophia  got  inside ;  whilst  Ernest  and  Jack,  mounted  on 
ostriches  that  had  been  trained  and  broken  in  as  riding 
horses,  took  up  a  position  on  each  side,  where  the  doors 


168  WILLIS    THE    PILOT. 

of  the  vehicle  ought  to  have  been.  These  dispositions 
made,  after  a  few  lashes  from  the  whip,  this  party  started 
off  at  a  brisk  rate  in  the  direction  of  Waldeck. 

It  had  been  previously  arranged  that  one  half  of  the 
expedition  should  go  by  land,  and  the  other  half  by  water, 
and  that  on  their  return  this  order  should  be  reversed,  so 
that  both  the  interior  and  the  coast  might  be  inspected  at 
one  and  the  same  time.  The  only  exception  was  made 
in  favor  of  Willis,  who  was  permitted  both  to  go  and 
return  by  sea. 

The  second  party,  consisting  of  Mrs.  Wolston,  Becker, 
Mary,  and  Fritz,  started  on  foot  in  the  direction  of  the 
coast.  They  had  not  gone  far  before  Becker  observed  a 
large  broadside  plastered  on  a  tree. 

"  What  is  that  ?  "  he  inquired. 

Nobody  could  give  a  satisfactory  reply. 

"Perhaps,"  suggested  Mrs.  Wolston,  "paper  grows 
ready  made  on  the  trees  of  this  wonderful  country." 

"They  all  approached,  and,  much  to  their  astonishment, 
read  as  follows  :  — 

"  TAKE    NOTICE. 

« 

"  The  renowned  Professor  Ernest  Becker  is  about  to 
enlighten  the  benighted  inhabitants  of  this  country,  by 
giving  a  course  of  lectures  on  optics.  The  agonizing 
doubts  that  have  hitherto  enveloped  astronomical  science, 
particularly  as  regards  the  interiors  of  the  moon  and 
the  stars,  have  arisen  from  the  absurd  practice  of  looking 
at  them  during  the  night.  These  doubts  are  about  to  be 
removed  for  ever  by  the  aforesaid  professor,  as  he  intends 
to  exhibit  the  luminaries  in  question  in  open  day.  He 
will  also  place  Charles's  Wain*  at  the  disposal  of  any  one 
who  is  desirous  of  taking  a  drive  in  the  Milky  Way.  The 
learned  professor  will  likewise  stand  for  an  indefinite 
period  on  his  head ;  and  whilst  in  this  position  will  clearly 
demonstrate  the  rotundity  of  the  earth,  and  the  tendency 

*  The  constellation  known  in  astronomy  as  the  Great  Bear  is  in 
some  parts  of  England  termed  the  Plough,  and  in  others  Charles's 
Wain  or  Waggon.  It  may  be  added,  that  the  same  constellation  is 
popularly  known  in  France  as  the  Chariot  of  David 


WILLIS    THE    PILOT.  169 

of  heavy  bodies  to  the  centre  of  gravity.  In  order  that 
the  prices  of  admission  may  be  in  accordance  with  the 
intrinsic  value  of  the  lectures,  nothing  will  be  charged  for 
the  boxes,  the  entrance  to  the  pit  will  be  gratis,  and  the 
gallery  will  be  thrown  open  for  the  free  entry  of  the 
people.  The  audience  will  be  expected  to  assume  a  hori- 
zontal position.  Persons  given  to  snoring  are  invited  to 
stay  at  home." 

"  I  rather  think  I  should  know  that  style,"  remarked 
Willis. 

"  It  is  a  pity  Ernest  is  not  with  us,"  observed  Fritz ; 
"but  the  placard  will  keep  for  a  day  or  two." 

"  They  say  laughing  is  good  for  digestion,"  remarked 
Mrs.  Wolston ;  "and  if  so,  it  must  be  confessed  that  Master 
Jack  is  a  useful  member  of  the  colony  in  a  sanitary  point 
of  view." 

The  party  had  scarcely  advanced  a  hundred  paces  far- 
ther, when  Fritz  called  out, 

"  Holloa !  there  is  another  broadside  in  sight." 

"  This  one  was  headed  by  a  smart  conflict  between  two 
ferocious  looking  hussars,  and  was  couched  in  the  following 
terms :  — 

"  PROCLAMATION. 

"  All  the  inhabitants  of  this  colony  capable  of  bearing 
arms,  who  are  panting  after  glory,  are  invited  to  the  Fig 
Tree,  at  Falcon's  Nest,  there  to  enrol  themselves  in  the 
registry  of  Fritz  Becker,  who  is  about  to  undertake  the 
conquest  of  the  world.  Nobody  is  compelled  to  volunteer, 
but  those  who  hold  back  will  be  reckoned  contumacious, 
and  will  be  taken  into  custody,  and  kept  on  raw  coffee  till 
such  time  as  they  evince  a  serious  desire  to  enlist.  There 
will  be  no  objection  to  recruits  returning  home  at  the  end 
of  the  war,  if  they  come  out  of  it  alive.  Neither  will  there 
be  any  objections  to  the  survivors  bringing  back  a  mar- 
shal's baton,  if  they  can  get  one.  The  Commander-in- 
chief  will  charge  himself  with  the  fruits  of  the  victory. 
Surgical  operations  will  be  performed  at  his  cost,  and  cork 
legs  will  be  served  out  with  the  rations.  In  the  event  of 
15 


170  WILLIS   THB    PILOT. 

a  profitable  campaign,  a  monument  will  be  erected  to  the 
memory  of  the  defunct,  by  way  of  a  reward  for  their 
heroism  on  the  field  of  battle." 

"  Well,  Fritz,"  said  Becker,  with  a  merry  twinkle  in  his 
eye,  "  you  were  sorry  that  Ernest  was  not  present  to  hear 
the  last  placard  read ;  fortunately,  you  are  on  the  spot 
yourself  this  tune." 

Fritz  tried  to  look  amused,  but  the  attempt  was  a  de- 
cided failure. 

When  the  party  had  gone  a  little  farther,  another  an- 
nouncement met  their  gaze ;  all  were  curious  to  know 
whose  turn  was  come  now ;  as  they  approached,  the  fol- 
lowing interesting  question,  in  large  letters,  stared  them  in 
the  face :  — 

"HAVE  YOU  HAD  TOUR  PORTRAIT  TAKEN  YET? 

"  It  has  been  reserved  for  the  present  age,  and  for  this 
prolific  territory,  so  exuberant  in  cabbages,  turnips,  and 
other  potables,  to  produce  the  greatest  of  living  artists  — 
a  real  genius  —  who  is  destined  to  outshine  all  the  Michel 
Angelos  and  Rubenses  of  former  ages.  Not  that  these 
men  were  entirely  devoid  of  talent,  but  because  they  could 
do  nothing  without  their  palette  and  their  paint  brushes. 
Now  that  illustrious  maestro,  Mr.  Jack  Becker,  has  both 
genius  and  ingenuity,  for  he  has  succeeded  in  dispensing 
with  the  aforementioned  troublesome  auxiliaries  of  his 
art.  His  plan  which  has  the  advantage  of  not  being 
patented,  consists  in  placing  his  subject  before  a  mirror, 
where  he  is  permitted  to  stay  till  the  portrait  takes  root  in 
the  glass.  By  this  novel  method  the  original  and  the  copy 
will  be  subject  alike  to  the  ravages  of  time,  so  that  no  one, 
on  seeing  a  portrait,  will  be  liable  to  mistake  the  grand- 
mother for  the  grand-daughter.  Likenesses  guaranteed. 
Payments,  under  all  circumstances,  to  be  made  in  advance." 

"  Ah,  well,"  said  Becker,  laughing,  "  it  appears  that  the 
scapegrace  has  not  spared  himself." 

"  I  hope  there  is  not  a  fourth  proclamation,"  said  Mrs. 
Wolston. 


WILLIS    THE    PILOT.  171 

"  There  are  no  more  trees  on  our  route,  at  all  events," 
replied  Becker. 

"  Glad  to  hear  that ;  Jack  must  respect  the  avocation 
chosen  by  Frank,  since  he  sees  nothing  in  it  to  ridicule." 

As  they  drew  near  the  Jackal  River,  in  which  the  pin- 
nace was  moored,  Mary  and  Fritz  were  a  little  in  advance 
of  the  party. 

"  Are  you  really  determined  to  turn  the  world  upside 
down,  Master  Fritz  ?  " 

"  At  present,  Miss  Wolston,  I  am  myself  the  sum  and 
substance  of  my  army,  in  addition  to  which  I  have  not  yet 
quite  made  up  my  mind." 

"  It  is  an  odd  fancy  to  entertain  to  say  the  least  of  it." 

"  Does  it  displease  you  ?  " 

"In  order  that  it  could  do  that,  I  must  first  have  the 
right  to  judge  your  projects." 

"  And  if  I  gave  you  that  right  ?  " 

"  I  should  find  the  responsibility  too  great  to  accept  it. 
Besides,  a  determination  cannot  be  properly  judged,  with- 
out putting  one's  self  in  the  position  of  the  person  that 
makes  it.  You  imagine  happiness  consists  in  witnessing 
the  shock  of  armies,  whilst  I  fancy  enjoyment  to  consist  in 
the  calm  tranquility  of  one's  home.  You  see  our  views 
of  felicity  are  widely  different." 

"  Not  so  very  widely  different  as  you  seem  to  think, 
Miss  Wolston.  As  yet  my  victories  are  nil;  I  have  not 
yet  come  to  an  issue  with  my  allies ;  to  put  my  troops  on 
the  peace  establishment  I  have  only  to  disembody  myself, 
and  I  disembody  myself  accordingly." 

"  Oh ! "  exclaimed  Mary,  "  you  are  very  easily  turned 
from  your  purpose." 

"  Easily !  no,  Miss  Wolston,  not  easily ;  you  cannot 
admit  that  an  objection  urged  by  yourself  is  a  matter  of. 
no  moment,  or  one  that  can  be  slighted  with  impunity." 

"  Ah !  here  we  are  at  the  end  of  our  journey." 

"  Already !  the  road  has  never  appeared  so  short  to  me 
before." 

"  What ! "  exclaimed  Mrs.  Wolston,  coming  up  to  her 
daughter,  "  you  appear  very  merry." 

"  Well,  not  without  reason,  mamma;  I  have  just  restored 
peace  to  the  world." 


172  WILLIS    THE    PILOT. 

The  pinnace  was  soon  launched,  and,  under  the  guidance 
of  Willis,  was  making  way  in  the  direction  of  Waldeck. 
The  sea  had  not  yet  recovered  from  the  effects  of  the 
recent  storm ;  it  was  still,  to  use  an  expression  of  "Willis, 
"  a  trifle  ugly."  Occasionally  the  waves  would  catch  the 
frail  craft  amidships,  and  make  it  lurch  in  an  uncomfort- 
able fashion,  especially  as  regarded  the  ladies,  which  obliged 
Willis  to  keep  closer  in  shore  than  was  quite  to  his  taste. 
The  briny  element  still  bore  traces  of  its  recent  rage,  just 
as  anger  lingers  on  the  human  face,  even  after  it  has 
quitted  the  heart. 

Whilst  the  pinnace  was  in  the  midst  of  a  series  of 
irregular  gyrations,  a  shrill  scream  suddenly  rent  the 
air,  and  at  the  same  instant  Fritz  and  Willis  leaped 
overboard. 

Mary  had  fallen  into  the  sea. 

Becker  strained  every  nerve  to  stay  the  boat.  Mrs. 
Wolston  fell  on  her  knees  with  outstretched  hands,  but, 
though  in  the  attitude  of  prayer,  not  a  word  escaped  her 
pallid  lips. 

The  two  men  floated  for  a  moment  over  the  spot  where 
the  poor  girl  had  sunk ;  suddenly  Fritz  disappeared,  his 
keen  eye  had  been  of  service  here,  for  it  enabled  him  to 
descry  the  object  sought.  In  a  few  seconds  he  rose  to  the 
surface  with  Mary's  inanimate  body  in  his  left  arm. 
Willis  hastened  to  assist  him  in  bearing  the  precious 
burden  to  the  boat,  and  Becker's  powerful  arms  drew  it  on 
deck. 

The  joy  that  all  naturally  would  have  felt  when  this 
was  accomplished  had  no  time  to  enter  their  breasts,  for 
they  saw  that  the  body  evinced  no  signs  of  life,  and  a  fear 
that  the  vital  spark  had  already  fled  caused  every  frame  to 
shudder.  They  felt  .that  not  a  moment  was  to  be  lost ; 
the  resources  of  the  boat  were  hastily  put  in  requisition ; 
mattresses,  sheets,  blankets,  and  dry  clothes  were  strewn 
upon  the  deck.  Mrs.  Wolston  had-  altogether  lost  her 
presence  of  mind,  and  could  do  nothing  but  press  the 
dripping  form  of  her  daughter  to  her  bosom. 

"  Friction  must  be  tried  instantly,"  cried  Becker;  "here, 
take  this  flannel  and  rub  her  body  smartly  with  it  —  par- 
ticularly her  breast  and  back." 


WILLIS    THE    PILOT.  173 

Mrs.  Wolston  instinctively  followed  these  directions. 

"  It  is  of  importance  to  warm  her  feet,"  continued 
Becker ;  "  but,  unfortunately,  we  have  no  means  on  board 
to  make  a  fire." 

Mrs.  Wolston,  in  her  trepidation,  began  breathing  upon 
them. 

"  I  have  heard,"  said  the  Pilot,  "  that  persons  rescued 
from  drowning  are  held  up  by  the  feet  to  allow  the  water 
to  run  out." 

"  Nonsense,  Willis ;  a  sure  means  of  killing  them  out- 
right. It  is  not  from  water  that  any  danger  is  to  be 
apprehended,  but  from  want  of  air,  or,  rather,  the  power 
of  respiration.  What  we  have  to  do  is  to  try  and  revive 
this  power  by  such  means  as  are  within  our  reach." 

The  Pilot,  meantime,  endeavored  to  introduce  a  few 
drops  of  brandy  between  the  lips  of  the  patient.  Fritz 
stood  trembling  like  an  aspen  leaf  and  deadly  pale ;  he 
regarded  these  operations  as  if  his  own  life  were  at  stake, 
and  not  the  patient's. 

"  There  remains  only  one  other  course  to  adopt,  Mrs. 
Wolston,"  said  Becker,  "  you  must  endeavor  to  bring  your 
daughter  to  life  by  means  of  your  own  breath." 

"  Only  tell  me  what  to  do,  Mr.  Becker,  and,  if  every 
drop  of  blood  in  my  body  is  wanted,  all  is  at  your 
disposal." 

"  You  must  apply  your  mouth  to  that  of  your  daughter, 
and,  whilst  her  nostrils  are  compressed,  breathe  at 
intervals  into  her  breast,  and  so  imitate  the  act  of  natural 
respiration." 

Stronger  lungs  than  those  of  a  woman  might  have  been 
urgent  under  such  circumstances,  but  maternal  love  sup- 
plied what  was  wanting  in  physical  strength. 

The  Pilot  had  turned  the  prow  of  the  pinnace  towards 
home;  he  felt  that,  in  the  present  case  at  least,  the  com- 
forts of  the  land  were  preferable  to  the  charms  of  the  sea. 

"  This  time  it  is  not  my  breath,  but  her  own,"  said  Mrs. 
Wolston. 

"  Her  pulse  beats,"  said  Becker ;  "  she  lives." 

"  Thank  God  !  "  exclaimed  Fritz  and  Willis  in  one  voice. 

A  quarter  of  an  hour  had  scarcely  yet  elapsed  since  the 
15* 


174  WILLIS    THE   PILOT. 

patient's  first  immersion  in  the  sea ;  but  this  brief  interval 
had  been  an  age  of  agony  to  them  all.  As  yet,  her  head 
lay  quiescent  on  her  mother's  bosom,  that  first  pillow, 
common  alike  to  rich  and  poor,  at  the  threshold  of  life. 

The  signs  of  returning  animation  gradually  became  more 
and  more  evident ;  at  length,  the  patient  gently  raised  her 
head,  and  glanced  vacantly  from  one  object  to  another ; 
then,  her  eyes  were  turned  upon  herself,  and  finally  rested 
upon  Fritz  and  Willis,  who  still  bore  obvious  traces  of 
their  recent  struggle  with  the  waves.  Here  she  seemed 
to  become  conscious,  for  her  body  trembled,  as  if  some  ter- 
rible thought  had  crossed  her  mind:  After  this  paroxysm 
had  passed,  she  feebly  inclined  her  head,  as  if  to  say — "I 
understand  —  you  have  saved  my  life  —  I  thank  you." 
Then,  like  those  jets  of  flame  that  are  no  sooner  alight 
than  they  are  extinguished,  she  again  became  insensible. 

As  soon  as  they  reached  the  shore,  Fritz  hastened  to 
Rockhouse,  and  made  up  a  sort  of  palanquin  of  such  mate- 
rials as  were  at  hand,  into  which  Mary  was  placed,  and 
thus  was  conveyed,  with  all  possible  care  and  speed,  on  the 
shoulders  of  the  men  to  Falcon's  Nest.  A  few  hours  after- 
wards she  returned  to  consciousness  and  found  herself  in  a 
warm  bed,  surrounded  with  all  the  comforts  that  maternal 
anxiety  and  Becker's  intelligent  mind  could  suggest. 

Fritz  was  unceasing  in  his  exertions  ;  no  amount  of  fa- 
tigue seemed  to  wear  him  out.  As  soon  as  he  saw  that 
everything  had  been  done  for  the  invalid  that  their  united 
skill  could  accomplish,  he  bridled  an  untrained  ostrich, 
and  rode  or  rather  flew  off  in  search  of  the  land  portion 
of  the  expedition. 

"Mary  is  saved,"  he  cried,  as  he  came  up  with  them. 

"From  what?"  inquired  Wolston,  anxiously. 

"  From  the  sea,  that  was  about  to  swallow  her  up." 

«  And  by  whom  ?  " 

"  By  Willis,  myself,  and  us  all." 

The  same  evening,  the  two  families  were  again  assem- 
bled at  Falcon's  Nest,  and  thus,  for  a  second  time,  the 
long  talked-of  expedition  was  brought  to  an  abrupt  con- 
clusion. 

"Ah,"  said  Willis,    "we  must  cast  anchor  for  a  bit; 


WILLIS    THE   PILOT.  175 

yesterday  it  was  the  sky,  to-day  it  was  the  sea,  to-morrow 
it  will  be  the  land,  perhaps  —  the  wind  is  clearly  against 
us." 

How  often  does  it  not  happen,  in  our  pilgrimage  through 
life,  that  we  have  the  wind  against  us  ?  We  make  a  reso- 
lute determination,  we  set  out  on  our  journey,  but  the  ob- 
ject we  seek  recedes  as  we  advance ;  it  is  no  use  going 
any  farther  —  the  wind  is  against  us.  We  re-commence 
ten,  twenty,  a  hundred  times,  but  the  result  is  invariably 
the  same.  How  is  this?  No  one  can  tell.  What  are 
the  obstacles  ?  It  is  difficult  to  say.  Perhaps,  we  meet 
with  a  friend  who  detains  us ;  perhaps,  a  recollection  that 
our  memory  has  called,  induces  us  to  swerve  from  the 
path  —  the  blind  man  .that  sung  under  our  window  may 
have  something  to  do  with  it  —  perhaps,  it  was  merely  a 
fly,  less  than  nothing. 

It  is  not  our  minor  undertakings,  but  rather  our  most 
important  enterprises,  that  are  frustrated  by  such  trifles  as 
these;  for  it  must  be  allowed  that  we  strive  less  tena- 
ciously against  an  obstacle  that  debars  us  from  a  pleasure, 
than  against  one  that  separates  us  from  a  duty  —  in  the 
one  case  we  have  to  stem  the  torrent,  in  the  other  we  sail 
with  the  current. 

When  we  observe  some  deplorable  instance  of  a  wrecked 
career  —  when  we  see  a  man  starting  in  life  with  the  most 
brilliant  prospects  collapsing  into  a  dead-weight  on  his 
fellows,  we  are  apt  to  suppose  that  some  insurmountable 
barrier  must  have  crossed  his  path  —  some  Himalaya,  or 
formidable  wall,  like  that  which  does  not  now  separate 
China  from  Tartary ;  but  no  such  thing.  Trace  the 
cause  to  its  source,  and  what  think  you  is  invariably 
found  ?  A  grain  of  sand ;  the  unfortunate  wretch  has  had 
the  wind  against  him  —  nothing  more. 

Rescued  from  the  sea,  Mary  Wolston  was  now  a  prey 
to  a  raging  fever.  Ill  or  well,  at  her  age  there  is  no  me- 
dium, either  exuberant  health  or  complete  prostration ; 
the  juices  then  are  turbulent  and  the  blood  is  ardent. 

Somehow  or  other,  a  good  action  attaches  the  doer  to 
the  recipient ;  so,  in  the  case  of  Fritz,  apart  from  the 
brotherly  affection  which  he  had  vaguely  vowed  to  enter- 


176  TTILLIS   THE    PILOT. 

tain  for  the  two  young  girls  that  had  so  unexpectedly  ap- 
peared amongst  them,  he  now  regarded  the  life  of  Mary 
as  identical  with  his  own,  and  felt  that  her  death  would  in- 
evitably shorten  his  own  existence  ;  "  for,"  said  he  to  him- 
self, "  should  she  die,  I  was  too  late  in  drawing  her  out  of 
the  water."  In  his  tribulation  and  irreflection,  he  drew 
no  line  between  the  present  and  the  past,  but  simply  con- 
cluded, that  if  he  saved  her  too  late,  he  did  not  save  her 
at  all.  Hope,  nevertheless,  did  not  altogether  abandon 
him.  He  would  sometimes  fancy  her  restored  to  her 
wonted  health,  abounding  in  life  and  vigour.  Then  the 
pleasing  thought  would  cross  his  mind  that,  but  for  him- 
self, that  charming  being,  in  all  probability,  would  have 
been  a  tenant  of  the  tomb.  Would  that  those  who  do  evil 
only  knew  the  delight  that  sometimes  wells  up  in  the 
breasts  of  those  who  do  good  ! 

The  first  day  of  Mary's  illness,  Fritz  bore  up  manfully. 
On  the  second,  he  joined  his  father  and  brothers  in  their 
field  labors ;  but,  whilst  driving  some  nails  into  a  fence, 
he  had  so  effectually  fixed  himself  to  a  stake  that  it  was 
only  with  some  difficulty  that  he  could  be  detached.  The 
third  day,  at  sunrise,  he  called  Mary's  dog,  shouldered  his 
rifle,  and  was  about  to  quit  the  house. 

"  Where  are  you  going  ?  "  inquired  Jack. 

"  I  don't  know  —  anywhere." 

"  Anywhere  !  Well,  I  am  rather  partial  to  that  sort  of 
place ;  I  will  go  with  you." 

"  But  I  must  do  something  that  will  divert  my  thoughts. 
There  may  be  danger." 

"  Well  I  can  help  you  to  look  up  a  difficulty." 

Every  day  the  two  brothers  departed  at  sunrise,  and  re- 
turned together  again  in  the  evening.  Mrs.  Becker  felt 
acutely  their  sufferings.  She  watched  anxiously  for  the 
return  of  the  two  wanderers,  and  generally  went  a  little 
way  to  meet  them  when  they  appeared  in  the  distance. 

"  She  does  not  run  to  meet  us,"  said  Fritz,  one  day ; 
"  that  is  a  bad  sign." 

"  Not  a  bit  of  it,"  replied  Jack.  "  If  she  had  any  bad 
news  to  give  us,  she  would  not  come  at  all." 


CHAPTER  XV. 

COD'S      GOVERNMENT KING     STANISLAUS THE     DAUPHIN     SOX 

OF    LOUIS    XV.  THE     SHORTEST    ROAD NEW    TEAR'S    DAY  

A  MIRACLE CLEVER  ANIMALS  —  THE  CALENDAR MR.  JULIUS 

CAESAR  AND  POPE  GREGORY   XIII.  HOW   THE  .DAY  AFTER    THE 

4TH     OF     OCTOBER    WAS    THE     15TH OLYMPIAD  —  LUSTRES 

THE    HEGIRA A    HORSE    MADE    CONSUL JACK'S    DKEAM. 

SOME  men,  when  they  regard  the  sinister  side  of  events, 
are  apt  to  call  in  question  the  axiom,  Nothing  is  accom- 
plished without  the  will  of  God.  Why,  they  ask,  do  the 
wicked  triumph?  Why  are  the  just  oppressed?  Why 
this  evil  ?  What  is  the  use  of  that  disaster  ?  Was  it 
necessary  that  Mary  Wolston  should  be  thrown  into  the 
sea,  and  that  she  should  afterwards  die  in  consequence  of 
the  accident  ? 

To  these  questions  we  reply,  that  God  does  not  inter- 
rupt the  ordinary  course  of  His  works.  Man  is  a  free 
agent  in  so  far  as  regards  his  own  actions ;  were  it  other- 
wise, we  should  not  be  responsible  for  our  own  crimes. 
We  might  as  well  plunge  into  vice  as  adhere  to  virtue;  for 
we  could  not  be  called  upon  to  expiate  the  one,  nor  could 
we  hope  to  be  rewarded  for  the  other.  It  is  not  to  be  ex- 
pected that  God  is  to  perform  miracles  at  every  instant 
for  our  individual  benefit.  It  is  unreasonable  in  us  to 
suppose  that,  in  obedience  to  our  wishes  or  desires,  He 
will  alter  His  immutable  laws. 

A  foot  slips  on  the  brink  of  a  precipice,  and  we  are 
dashed  to  atoms.  Our  boat  is  upset  in  a  squall,  and  we 
are  drowned.  Like  Stanislaus  Leszinsky,  King  of  Poland, 
we  fall  asleep  in  the  corner  of  a  chimney,  our  clothes  take 
fivp,  and  we  are  burned  to  death.  We  go  a  hunting ;  we 
mistake  a  grey  overcoat  for  the  fur  of  a  deer,  and  we  kill 
our  friend  or  his  ganrekeepcr,  as  once  happened  to  the 


178  WILLIS    THE    PILOT. 

son  of  Louis  XV.,  who  in  consequence  almost  died  of 
grief,  and  renounced  forever  a  sport  of  which  he  was  pas- 
sionately fond.  Did  Providence  will,  exact,  or  pre-ordain 
all  these  calamities?  Certainly  not;  but  our  Creator  has 
seen  fit  to  tolerate  and  permit  them,  since  he  did  not  in- 
terpose to  prevent  them. 

The  government  of  God  is  a  conception  so  wonderful, 
so  sublime,  that  none  but  Himself  can  fathom  its  depths. 
Human  intelligence  is  too  finite  to  penetrate  or  compre- 
hend a  system  so  complex,  and  yet  so  uniform.  The 
mind  of  man  can  only  form  a  just  idea  of  a  cause  when 
the  effect  has  been  made  manifest  to  his  understanding. 
There  might  have  been  a  reason  for  the  death  of  Mary 
Wolston  —  who  knows  ?  But  if  it  were  so,  that  reason 
was  beyond  the  pale  of  mortal  ken. 

Let  us  not,  however,  anticipate.  Mary  "Wolston  is  not 
yet  dead.  On  the  contrary,  when  the  ninth  day  of  her 
illness  had  passed,  Fritz  and  Jack  were  returning  from  an 
expedition,  the  nature  of  which  was  only  known  to  them- 
selves, but  which,  to  judge  from  the  packs  that  they  bore 
on  their  backs,  had  been  tolerably  productive.  The  two 
young  men  observed'  their  mother  advancing,  as  usual,  to 
meet  them,  but  this  time  she  ran.  They  had  no  need 
to  be  told  in  words  that  Mary  Wolston  was  now  out  of 
danger ;  the  serenity  of  their  mother's  countenance  was 
more  eloquent  than  the  most  elaborate  discourse  that  ever 
stirred  human  souls. 

Mrs.  Becker  herself  felt  that  words  were  superfluous, 
so  she  quietly  took  her  son's  arm,  and  they  walked  gently 
homewards,  whilst  Jack  strode  on  before.  On  turning  a 
corner  of  the  road,  the  latter  stumbled  upon  Wolston  and 
Ernest,  who,  in  the  exuberance  of  their.joy,  had  also  co'me 
out  to  meet  the  hunters.  They  were,  however,  a  little 
behind ;  but  that  was  nothing  new.  These  two  members 
of  the  colony  had  become  quite  remarkable  for  procras- 
tination and  absence  of  mind.  When  Wolston  the 
mechanician,  and  Ernest  the  philosopher,  travelled  in 
company,  it  was  rare  that  some  pebble  or  plant,  or  ques- 
tion in  physics,  did  not  induce  them  to  deviate  from  their 
route  or  tarry  on  their  way.  One  clav  they  both  started 


I 
WILLIS  THE  PILOT.  179 

for  Rockhouse  to  fetch  provisions  for  the  family  dinner, 
but  instead  of  bringing  back  the  needful  supplies  of  beef 
and  mutton,  they  returned  in  great  glee  with  the  solution 
of  an  intricate  problem  in  geometry.  All  fared  very 
indifferently  on  that  occasion,  and,  in  consequence,  Wols- 
ton  and  Ernest  were,  from  that  time  on,  deprived  of  the 
office  of  purveyors. 

In  the  present  instance,  instead  of  running  like  Mrs. 
Becker,  they  had  philosophically  seated  themselves  on  the 
trunk  of  a  tree.  At  their  feet  was  a  diagram  that  Wolston 
had  traced  with  the  end  of  his  stick ;  this  was  neither  a 
tangent  nor  a  triangle,  as  might  have  been  expected,  but  a 
figure  denoting  how  to  carve  one's  way  to  a  position, 
amidst  the  rugged  defiles  of  life. 

*  In  all  things,"  observed  Wolston,  "  in  morals  as  well 
as  physics,  the  shortest  road  from  one  point  to  another,  ia 
the  straight  line." 

"  Unless,"  objected  Ernest,  "  the  straight  line  were 
encumbered  with  obstacles,  that  would  require  more  time 
to  surmount  than  to  go  round.  Two  leagues  of  clear  road 
would  be  better  than  one  only  a  single  league  in  length,  if 
intersected  by  ditches  and  strewn  with  wild  beasts." 

"Bah!"  cried  Jack,  who  had  just  come  up  out  of  breath, 
"  you  might  leap  the  one  and  shoot  the  others." 

"Your  argument,"  replied  Wolston,  "is  that  of  the 
savage,  who  can  imagine  no  obstacles  that  are  not  solid 
and  tangible.  The  obstacles  that  retard  our  progress  in 
life  neither  display  yawning  chasms  nor  rows  of  teeth; 
they  dwell  within  our  own  minds  —  they  are  versatility, 
disgust,  ennui,  thirst  after  the  unknown,  and  love  of 
change.  These  lead  us  to  take  bye-paths  and  long  turn- 
ings, and  fritter  away  the  strength  that  should  be  used  in 
promoting  a  single  aim.  Hence  arise  a  multiplicity  of 
hermaphrodite  avocations  and  desultory  studies,  that  ter- 
minate in  nothing  but  vexation  of  spirit.  Let  us  sup- 
pose, for  example,  that  Peter  has  made  up  his  mind  to 
be  a  lawyer." 

"  I  do  not  see  any  particular  reason  why  Peter  should 
not  be  a  lawyer,"  said  Jack. 

"  Nor  I  either ;  but  unfortunately  when  Peter  has  pore$ 


180  WILLIS    THE   PILOT. 

a  certain  time  over  Coke  upon  Littleton,  and  other  abstruse 
legal  authorities,  he  accidentally  witnesses  a  review ;  he 
throws  down  his  books,  and  resolves  to  become  a  soldier." 

"  After  the  manner  and  style  of  our  Fritz,"  suggested 
Jack. 

"  He  changes  the  Pandects  for  Polybius,  and  Gray's  Inn 
for  a  military  school.  All  goes  well  for  awhile ;  the  idea 
of  uniform  helps  him  over  the  rudiments  of  fortification 
and  the  platoon  exercise.  He  passes  two  examinations 
creditably,  but  breaks  down  at  the  third,  in  consequence 
of  which  he  throws  away  his  sword  in  disgust.  He  does 
not  like  now  to  rejoin  his  old  companions  in  the  Inn,  who 
have  been  working  steadily  during  the  years  he  has  lost. 
He  therefore,  perhaps,  adopts  a  middle  course,  and  gets  him- 
self enrolled  in  the  society  of  solicitors,  which  does  not 
exact  a  very  elaborate  diploma." 

"  Well,  after  all,  the  difference  between  a  barrister  and 
a  solicitor  is  not  so  great." 

"  True ;  but  the  exercises  to  which  he  has  been  accus- 
tomed previously  unfit  him  for  the  drudgeries  of  his  new 
employment,  and  he  soon  abandons  that,  just  as  he 
abandoned  the  other  two." 

"  Your  friend  Peter  is  somewhat  difficult  to  please," 
said  Jack. 

"  He  then  goes  into  business,  a  term  which  may  mean  a 
great  deal  or  nothing  at  all ;  it  admits  of  one's  going  about 
idle  with  the  appearance  of  being  fully  occupied.  Then  a 
few  unsuccessful  speculations  bring  him  back,  at  the  end 
of  his  days,  to  the  point  whence  he  started  —  that  is,  zero." 

"  Ah,  yes,  I  see  now,"  cried  Jack,  whilst  he  traced  a 
diagram  on  the  ground.  "  Poor  Peter  has  always  stopped 
in  the  middle  of  each  profession  and  gone  back  to  the 
starting  point  of  another,  thus  passing  his  life  in  making 
zigzags,  and  only  moving  from  one  zero  to  another." 

"  Exactly,"  added  Wolston :  "  whilst  those  who  per- 
severed in  following  up  the  profession  they  chose  at  first 
finally  succeeded  in  attaining  a  position,  and  that  simply 
by  adhering  to  a  straight  line." 

Here  Fritz  and  his  mother  arrived,  arm  in  arm. 

"  Ha !  there  you  are,"  cried  Ernest.  "  We  were  on  our 
way  to  meet  you." 


WILLIS   THE   PILOT.  181 

"  You  surely  do  not  call  sitting  down  there  being  on 
your  way  to  meet  us,  do  you  ?  " 

"  Well,  yes,  mother,"  suggested  Jack,  "  on  the  principle 
that  two  bodies  coming  into  contact  meet  each  other." 

Like  those  flowers  that  droop  during  a  storm,  but 
recover  their  brilliancy  with  the  first  rays  of  the  sun,  so  a 
few  days  more  sufficed  to  restore  Mary  Wolston  to  better 
health  than  she  had  ever  enjoyed  in  her  life  before.  Some 
months  now  elapsed  without  giving  rise  to  any  event  of 
note.  All  the  men,  women,  and  children  in  the  colony 
had  been  busily  employed  from  early  morn  to  late  at  e'en. 
No  sooner  had  one  field  been  sown  than  there  was  another 
to  plant;  then  came  the  grain  harvest  and  its  hard  but 
healthy  toil ;  next,  much  to  the  delight  of  Willis,  herrings 
appeared  on  the  coast,  followed  by  their  attendant  demons, 
the  sea-dogs ;  salmon-fishing,  hunting  ortolans,  the  foun- 
dries and  manufactories,  likewise  exacted  a  portion  of 
their  time.  Frequently  parties  were  occupied  for  weeks 
together  in  the  remote  districts ;  so  that,  with  the  excep- 
tion of  one  day  each  week  —  the  Sabbath  —  the  two 
families  had  of  late  been  rarely  assembled  together  in  one 
spot. 

The  hope  of  ever  again  beholding  the  Nelson  had 
gradually  ceased  to  be  entertained  by  anybody.  Like  an 
echo  that  resounds  from  rock  to  rock  until  it  is  lost  in  the 
distance,  this  hope  had  died  away  in  their  breasts.  Willis 
nevertheless  continued  to  keep  the  beacon  on  Shark's 
Island  alight;  but  he  regarded  it  more  as  a  sepulchral 
lamp  in  commemoration  of  the  dead,  than  as  a  signal  for 
the  living. 

One  morning,  the  break  of  day  was  announced  by  a 
cannon-shot.  All  instantly  started  on  their  feet  and  gazed 
inquiringly  in  each  other's  faces.  One  thing  forced  itself 
upon  all  their  thoughts  —  daybreak  generally  arrives 
without  noise  ;  it  is  not  accustomed  to  announce  itself  with 
gunpowder ;  like  real  merit,  it  requires  no  flourish  of 
trumpets  to  announce  its  advent. 

"  Good,"  said  Becker ;  "  Fritz  and  Jack  are  not  visible, 
therefore  we  may  easily  guess  who  fired  that  shot." 

"  Particularly,"  added  Wolston,  "  as  this  is  the  first  of 
16 


182  WILLIS    THE   PILOT. 

January.  Last  night  I  observed  an  unusual  amount  of 
going  backwards  and  forwards,  so,  I  suppose,  nobody  need 
be  much  at  a  loss  to  solve  the  mystery." 

"Aye,"  sighed  Willis,  "New  Year's  Day  brings  pleasing 
recollections  to  many,  but  sad  ones  to  those  who  are  far 
away  from  their  own  homes." 

Shortly  after,  the  absentees  arrived,  each  mounted  on 
his  favorite  ostrich. 

"Mrs.  "Wolston,"  said  Fritz,  spreading  out  a  fine 
leopard's  skin,  "  be  good  enough  to  accept  this,  with  the 
compliments  of  the  season." 

"  Mr.  Wolston,"  said  Jack,  at  the  same  time,  "  here  is 
the  outer  covering  of  a  panther,  who,  stifling  with  heat, 
commissioned  me  to  present  you  with  his  overcoat." 

"  I  am  very  proud  of  your  gift,  Master  Fritz,"  said  Mrs. 
Wolston ;  "  it  is  really  very  handsome." 

"  It  may,  perhaps,  be  useful  at  all  events,  madam,"  said 
Fritz  ;  "  for,  in  the  absence  of  universal  pills  and  such 
things,  it  is  a  capital  preventative  of  coughs  and  colds." 

"  You  have  been  over  the  way  again,  then  ?  "  inquired 
Willis. 

"  Yes ;  but,  as  you  see,  we  adopted  a  more  efficacious 
mode  of  operations  than  the  one  you  suggested." 

"Ah,"  replied  Willis,  drily,  "you  did  not  light  a  fire 
this  time  to  frighten  the  brutes  away,  and  go  to  sleep  when 
it  went  out! " 

Sophia  then  presented  Willis  with  a  handsome  tobaccco 
pouch,  on  which  the  words,  "  From  Susan,"  were  em- 
broidered. 

"  Bless  your  dear  little  heart ! "  said  the  sailor,  whilst  a 
tear  sparkled  in  the  corner  of  his  eye,  "  you  make  me 
almost  think  I  am  in  Old  England  again." 

"What  is  the  matter?"  inquired  Mrs.  Wolston,  as  Mary 
came  running  in. 

"  Oh,  such  a  miracle,  mamma  !  my  parrot  commenced 
talking  this  morning." 

"  And  what  did  it  say,  child  ?  " 

Here  Mary  blushed  and  hesitated ;  Mrs.  Wolston 
glanced  at  Fritz,  and  thought  it  might  be  as  well  not  to 
inquire  any  further. 


WILLIS   THE    PILOT.  Io3 

"  Perhaps  somebody  has  changed  it,"  suggested  Jack. 

"  Not  very  likely  that  a  strange  parrot  could  pronounce 
my  own  name." 

"  Well,  perhaps  your  own  has  been  learning  to  spell  for 
a  long  time,  and  has  just  succeeded  in  getting  into  words 
of  two  or  more  syllables.  These  creatures  abound  in 
self-esteem ;  and  yours,  perhaps,  would  not  speak  till  it 
could  speak  well." 

"  Odd,  that  it  should  pitch  upon  New  Year's  morning 
to  say  all  sorts  of  pretty  things.  They  do  not  carry  an 
almanack  in  their  pockets,  do  they  ?  " 

"  Well,"  remarked  Willis,  "  parrots  do  say  and  do  odd 
things.  I  heard  of  one  that  once  frightened  away  a  bur- 
glar, by  screaming  out,  ;  The  Campbells  are  coming ; '  so, 
Miss  Wolston,  perhaps  yours  does  keep  a  log." 

"  By  counting  its  knuckles,"  suggested  Jack. 

"  Counting  one's  knuckles  is  an  ingenious,  but  rather  a 
clumsy  substitute  for  the  calendar,"  remarked  Wolston. 

"  And  who  invented  the  calendar  ?  "  inquired  Willis. 

"  I  am  not  aware  that  the  calendar  was  ever  invented," 
replied  Wolston.  "  Fruit  commences  by  being  a  seed,  the 
admiral  springs  from  the  cabin-boy,  words  and  language 
succeed  naturally  the  babble  of  the  infant;  so,  I  presume, 
the  calendar  has  grown  up  spontaneously  to  its  present 
degree  of  perfection." 

"  Yes,  Mr.  Wolston,  but  some  one  must  have  laid  the 
first  plank." 

"The  motions  of  the  sun,  moon,  and  stars  would,  in  all 
probability,  suggest  to  the  early  inhabitants  of  our  globe  a 
natural  means  of  measuring  time.  God,  in  creating  the 
heavenly  bodies,  seems  to  have  reflected  that  man  would 
require  some  index  to  regulate  his  labors  and  the  acts  of 
his  civil  life.  The  primary  and  most  elementary  sub- 
divisions of  time  are  day  and  night,  and  it  demanded  no 
great  stretch  of  human  ingenuity  to  divide  the  day  into 
two  sections,  called  forenoon  and  afternoon,  or  into  twelve 
sections,  called  hours.  Such  subdivisions  of  time  would 
probably  suggest  themselves  simultaneously  to  all  the 
nations  of  the  earth.  Necessity,  who  is  the  mother  of  all 
invention,  doubtless  called  the  germs  of  our  calendar  into 
existence." 


184.  WILLIS    THE    I'lLOT. 

"  Yes,  so  far  as  the  days  and  hours  are  concerned. 
There  are  other  divisions  —  weeks,  for  example." 

"The  division  of  time  into  weeks  is  a  matter  that 
belongs  entirely  to  revelation ;  the  Jews  keep  the  last  day 
of  every  seven  as  a  day  of  rest,  in  accordance  with  the  law 
of  Moses,  and  the  Christians  dedicate  the  first  day  of  every 
seven  to  our  Lord  and  Saviour  Jesus  Christ." 

"  Then  there  are  months." 

"  The  month  is  another  natural  division.  The  return  of 
the  moon  in  conjunction  with  the  sun,  was  observed  to 
occur  at  regular  intervals  of  twenty-nine  days,  twelve 
hours,  and  some  minutes.  This  interval  is  called  the  hmar 
month,  which  for  a  long  time  was  regarded  as  the  radical 
unit  in  the  admeasurement  of  time." 

"  But  the  year  is  now  the  unit,  is  it  not?" 

"  Yes,  in  course  of  time  the  moon,  in  this  respect,  gave 
place  to  the  sun.  It  was  observed  that  the  earth,  in  per- 
forming her  revolution  round  the  sun,  always  arrived  at 
the  same  point  of  her  orbit  at  the  end  of  three  hundred 
and  sixty-five  days,  five  hours,  fifty-eight  minutes,  and 
forty-five  seconds." 

"  Does  the  earth  invariably  pass  the  same  point  at  that 
interval ?  " 

"  Yes,  invariably  ;  and  the  interval  in  question  is  termed 
the  solar-  year." 

"  After  all,"  remarked  Jack,  "  the  perseverance  of  the 
earth  is  very  much  to  be  admired.  It  goes  on  eternally, 
always  performing  the  same  journey,  never  deviates  from 
its  path,  and  is  never  a  minute  too  late." 

'•  If  the  earth  had  performed  her  annual  voyage  in  a 
certain  number  of  entire  days,  the  solar  year  would  have 
been  an  exact  unit  of  time ;  but  the  odd  fraction  defied  all 
our  systems  of  calculation.  Originally,  we  reckoned  the 
year  to  consist  of  three  hundred  and  sixty-five  days." 

"And  left  the  fraction  to  shift  for  itself! " 

"  Yes,  but  the  consequence  was,  that  the  civil  year  wag 
always  nearly  a  quarter  of  a  day  behind ;  so  that  at  the 
end  of  a  hundred  and  twenty-fine  years  the  civil  year  had 
become  an  entire  'month  behind.  The  first  month  of 
winter  found  itself  in  autumn,  the  first  month  of  spring  in 
the  middle  of  winter,  and  so  on." 


WILLIS   THE   PILOT.  185 

"  Rather  a  lubberly  sort  of  log,  that,"  remarked  Willis. 

"  This  confusion  became,  with  tune,  more  and  more 
embarrassing.  Another  evil  was,  likewise,  eventually  to 
be  apprehended,  for  it  was  seen  that,  on  the  expiring  of 
fourteen  hundred  and  sixty  revolutions  of  the  earth  round 
the  sun,  fourteen  hundred  and  sixty-one  civil  years  would 
be  counted." 

"  But  where  would  have  been  the  evil  ?  " 

"  All  relations  between  the  dates  and  the  seasons  would 
have  been  obliterated,  astronomical  calculations  would 
have  become  inaccurate,  and  the  calendar  virtually  useless." 

"  Well,  Willis,  you  that  are  so  fertile  in  ideas,  what 
would  you  have  done  in  such  a  case?"  inquired  Jack. 

"  I !  W  n/  I  scarcely  know  —  perhaps  run  out  a  fresh 
cable  and  commenced  a  new  log." 

"  Your  remedy,"  continued  Wolston,  "  might,  perhaps, 
have  obviated  the  difficulty ;  but  Julius  Csesar  thought  of 
another  that  answered  the  purpose  equally  well.  It  was 
simply  to  add  to  every  fourth  civil  year  an  additional  day, 
making  it  to  consist  of  three  hundred  and  sixty-six  instead 
of  three  hundred  and  sixty-five,  This  supplementary  day 
was  given  to  the  month  of  February." 

"  Why  February  ?  " 

"  Because  February,  at  that  time,  was  reckoned  the  last 
month  of  the  year.  It  was^only  in  the  reign  of  Charles 
IX.  of  France,  or  .11  the  second  half  of  the  sixteenth 
century,  that  the  civil  year  was  made  to  begin  on  the  1st 
of  January.  As  the  end  of  February  was  five  days  before 
the  1st  or  kalends  of  March,  the  extra  day  was  known  by 
the  phrase  bis  sexto  (ante)  calendus  martii.  Hence  the 
fourth  year  is  termed  in  the  calendar  bissextile,  but  is  more 
usually  called  by  us  in  England  leap  year." 

"  The  remedy  is  certainly  simple  ;  but  are  your  figures 
perfectly  square  ?  If  you  add  a  day  every  four  years,  do 
you  not  overleap  the  earth's  fraction  ?  " 

"  Yes,  from  ten  to  eleven  minutes." 

"  And  what  becomes  of  these  minutes  ?  Are  they 
allowed  to  run  up  another  score  ?  " 

"No,  not  exactly.  In  1582,  the  civil  year  had  got  ten 
16* 


186  WILLIS   THE    PILOT. 

clear  days  the  start  of  the  solar  year,  and  Pope  Gregory 
XIII.  resolved  to  cancel  them,  which  he  effected  by  call- 
ing the  day  after  the  4th  of  October  the  15th."  • 

"  That  manner  of  altering  the  rig  and  squaring  the 
yard?;,"  said  Willi,  laughing,  "  would  make  the  people 
that  lived  then  ten  days  older.  If  it  had  been  ten  years, 
the  matter  would  have  been  serious.  Had  the  Pope  said 
to  me  privately,  '  Willis,  you  are  now  only  forty-seven, 
but  to-morrow,  my  boy,  you  will  fill  your  sails  and  steer 
right  into  fifty-seven,'  I  should  have  turned  'bout  ship  and 
cleared  off.  Few  men  care  about  being  put  upon  a  short  al- 
lowance of  life,  any  more  than  we  sailors  on  short  rations 
of  rum." 

"  But  you  forget,  Willis,  that,  though  ten  years  were 
added  to  your  age,  you  would  not  have  died  a  day  sooner 
for  all  that." 

"Still,  it  is  my  idea  that  the  Pope  was  not  much  smart- 
er at  taking  a  latitude  than  Mr.  Julius  Caesar  —  but  what 
are  you  laughing  at  ?" 

"  Nothing ;  only  Julius  Caesar  is  not  generally  hon- 
ored with  the  prefix  Mr.  It  is  something  like  the  French, 
who  insist  upon  talking  of  Sir  Newton  and  Mr.  William 
Shakespeare  ;  the  latter,  however,  by  way  of  amends,  they 
sometimes  style  the  immortal  Williams." 

"  Not  so  bad,  though,  as  a  Frenchman  I  once  met,  who 
firmly  believed  the  Yankees  lived  on  a  soup  made  of 
bunkum  and  soft-sawder.  But  who  was  Julius  Caesar." 

"Julius  Cassar,"  replied  Jack,  sententiously,  "was  first 
of  all  an  author,  having  published  at  Rome  an  Easy  In- 
troduction to  the  Latin  Language ;  he  afterwards  turned 
general,  conquered  France  and  England,  and  gave  Mr. 
Pompey  a  sound  thrashing  at  the  battle  of  Pharsalia."  ' 

"  He  must  have  been  a  clever  fellow  to  do  all  that ;  still, 
my  idea  continues  the  same.  When  he  began  to  caulk 
the  calendar,  he  ought  to  have  finished  the  business  in  a 
workmanlike  manner." 

"That,  however,"  continued  Wolston,  "he  left  to  Pope 
Gregory,  who  decreed  that  three  leap  years  should  be 
suppressed  in  four  centuries.  Thus,  the  years  1700  and 
1800,  which  should  have  been  leap  years,  did  not  reckon 


WILLIS   THE    PILOT.  187 

the  extra  day ;  so  the  years  2000  and  2400  will  likewise 
be  deprived  of  their  supplementary  four-and-twenty  hours." 

"  There  is  one  difficulty  about  this  mode  of  stowing  away 
extra  days;  these  leap  years  may  be. forgotten." 

"  Not  if  you  keep  in  mind  that  leap  years  alone  admit 
of  being  divided  by  foui\" 

"  Did  the  Pope  manage  to  get  entirely  rid  of  the  frac- 
tion ?  " 

"Not  entirely;  but  the  error  does  not  exceed  one  day 
in  four  thousand  years,  and  is  so  small  that  it  is  not  likely 
to  derange  ordinary  calculations ;  and  so,  Willis,  you  now 
know  the  origin  of  the  calendar,  and  likewise  how  time 
came  to  be  divided  into  weeks,  months,  and  years." 

"  You  have  only  spoken  of  the  Christian  calendar,"  re- 
marked Ernest.  "There  have  been  several  other  systems 
in  use.  Those  curious  people  that  call  themselves  the 
children  of  the  sun  and  moon,  possess  a  mode  of  reckoning 
that  carries  them  back  to  a  period  anterior  to  the_creation 
of  the  world.  Then,  the  Greeks  computed  by  Olympiads, 
or  periods  of  four  years.  The  Romans  reckoned  by  lustri 
of  five  years,  the  first  of  which  corresponds  with  the  1 1 7th 
year  of  the  foundation  of  Rome." 

"  And  when  does  our  calendar  begin  ?  " 

"  It  dates  only  from  the  birth  of  Christ,  but  may  be  car- 
ried back  to  the  creation,  which  event,  to  the  best  of  our 
knowledge,  occurred  four  thousand  and  four  years  before 
the  birth  of  our  Savior.  This  period,  added  to  the  date  of 
the  present,  or  any  future  year,  gives  us,  as  nearly  as  we 
can  ascertain,  the  interval  that  has  elapsed  since  our  first 
parents  found  themselves  in  the  garden  o£  Eden." 

"  Our  calendar,"  remarked  Jackj  "  appears  simple 
enough ;  it  is  to  be  regretted  that  there  have  been,  and 
are,  so  many  other  modes  of  reckoning  extant.  What 
with  the  Greek  Olympiads,  the  Roman  lustres,  the  Ma- 
hometan hegira,  and  Chinese  moonshine,  there  is  nothing 
but  perplexity  and  confusion." 

"It  is  possible,  however,"  said  Becker,  "  to  accommodate 
all  these  systems  with  each  other.  Leaving  the  Chinese 
out  of  the  question,  we  have  only  to  bear  in  mind,  that  the 
Christian  era  begins  on  the  first  year  of  the  194th 


188  WILLIS    THE    PILOT. 

Olympiad,  753  years  after  the  building  of  Rome,  and  G22 
years'  before  the  Mahometan  hegira.  These  three  figures 
will  serve  us  as  flambeaux  to  all  the  dates  of  both  ancient 
and  modern  history." 

The  discourse  was  here  interrupted  by  Toby,  who  en- 
tered the  room,  and  was  gleefully  frisking  and  bounding 
round  Mary. 

"  Really,"  observed  Mrs.  Becker,  "  Toby  does  seem 
to  know  that  this  is  New  Year's  Day,  he  looks  so  lively 
and  so  smart." 

The  animal,  in  point  of  fact,  wore  a  new  collar,  and 
seemed  conscious  that  he  was  more  than  usually  attractive 
that  particular  morning.  At  a  sign  from  Mary,  the  intel- 
ligent brute  went  and  wagged  his  tail  to  Fritz.  Hereup- 
on the  young  man,  observing  the  collar  more  closely,  no- 
ticed the  following  words  embroidered  upon  ii :  I  belong 
now  entirely  to  Master  Fritz,  who  rescued  my  mistress  from 
the  sea. 

"  Ah,  Miss  "Wolston,"  said  Fritz,  "  you  forget  I  only 
did  my  duty  ;  you  must  not  allow  your  gratitude  to  over- 
estimate the  service  I  rendered  you." 

"  Well,  I  declare,"  cried  Mrs.  Wolston,  laughing  "  here 
is  another  animal  that  speaks." 

"  The  age  of  ^Esop  revived,"  suggested  Mrs.  Becker. 

"  What  do  you  say,  Master  Jack  ? "  inquired  Mrs. 
Wolston.  "  Do  you  suppose  that  Toby  has  learned  em- 
broidery in  the  same  way  that  the  parrot  learned  gram- 
mar ?  "' 

"  Oh,  more  astonishing  things  than  that  have  happened  ! 
Mr.  Wolston  there  will  tell  you  that  he  has  seen  a  wooden 
figure  playing  at  chess ;  why,  therefore,  should  the  most 
sagacious  of  all  the  brutes  not  learn  knitting  ?  " 

"  1  fear,  in  speaking  so  highly  of  the  dog,"  replied  Mrs. 
Wolston,  "you  are  doing  injustice  to  other  animals 
Marvellous  instances  of  sagacity,  gratitude,  and  affection, 
have  been  shown  by  other  brutes  beside  the  dog.  A 
horse  of  Caligula's  was  elevated  to  the  dignified  office  of 
consul." 

"  Yes,  and  talking  of  the  affection  of  animals,"  observed 
Ernest,  "  puts  me  in  mind  of  an  anecdote  related  by  An- 


WILLIS    THE    PILOT.  l89 

lus  Gellius.  It  seems  that  a  little  boy,  the  son  of  a  fisher- 
man, who  had  to  go  from  Baiae  to  his  school  at  Puzzoli, 
used  to  stop  at  the  same  hour  each  day  on  the  brink  of  the 
Lucrine  lake.  Here  he  often  threw  a  bit  of  his  break- 
fast to  a  Dolphin  that  he  called  Simon,  and  if  the  creature 
was  not  waiting  for  him  when  he  arrived,  he  had  only  to 
pronounce  this  name,  and  it  instantly  appeared." 

"  Nothing  very  wonderful  in  that,"  said  Jack ;  "  the  com- 
mon gudgeon,  which  is  the  stupidest  fish  to  be  found  in 
fresh  water,  would  do  that  much." 

"Yes;  but  listen  a  moment.  The  dolphin,  after  having 
received  his  pittance,  presented  his  back  to  the  boy,  after 
having  tacked  in  all  his  spines  and  prickles  as  well  as  he 
could,  and  carried  him  right  across  the  lake,  thus  saving 
the  little  fellow  a  long  roundabout  walk ;  and  not  only 
that,  but  after  school  hours  it  was  waiting  to  carry  him 
back  again.  This  continued  almost  daily  for  a  year  or 
two;  but  at  last  the  boy  died,  and  the  dolphin,  after  wait- 
ing day  after  day  for  his  reappearance,  pined  away,  and 
was  found  dead  at  the  usual  place  of  rendezvous.  The 
affectionate  creature  was  taken  out  of  the  lake,  and  buried 
beside  its  friend.* 

"And,  on  the  other  hand,"  added  Jack,  "if  animals 
sometimes  attach  themselves  to  us,  we  attach  ourselves  to 
them.  We  are  told  that  Crassus  wore  mourning  for  a 
dead  ferret,  the  death  of  which  grieved  him  as  much  as  if 
it  had  been  his  own  daughter.!  Augustus  crucified  one  of 
his  slaves,  who  had  roasted  and  eaten  a  quail,  that  had 
fought  and  conquered  in  the  circus.J  Antonia,  daughter- 
in-law  of  Tiberius,  fastened  ear-rings  to  some  lampreys 
that  she  was  passionately  fond  of."§ 

"  That,  at  all  events,  was  attachment  in  one  sense  of  the 
word,"  said  Mrs.  Wolston. 

"  Without  reference  to  the  dog  in  particular,"  continued 
Jack,  "  proofs  of  sagacity  in  animals  are  very  numerous. 
The  nautilus,  when  he  wants  to  take  an  airing,  capsizes 
his  shell,  and  converts  it  into  a  gondola;  then  he  hoists  a 

*  Aulus  Gellius,  VII.,  8.  t  Macrobius,  Saturn,  XI.,  4. 

t  Plutarch.  §  Pliny,  IX.,  53. 


190  TTILLIS    THE    PILOT. 

thin  membrane  that  serves  for  a  sail ;  two  of  his  arms  are 
"resolved  into  oars,  and  his  tail  performs  the  functions  of  a 
rudder.  There  are  insects  ingenious  enough  to  make 
dwellings  for  themselves  in  the  body  of  a  leaf  as  thin  as 
paper.  At  the  approach  of  a  storm  some  spiders  take  in 
a  reef  or  two  of  their  webs,  so  as  to  be  "less  at  the  mercy 
of  the  wind.  Beavers  will  erect  walls,  and  construct 
houses  more  skilfully  than  our  ablest  architects.  Chim- 
panzees have  been  known  spontaneously  to  sit  themselves 
down,  and  perform  the  operation  of  shaving." 

"  Stop,  Jack,"  cried  Mrs.  Wolston ;  "  I  must  yield  to 
such  a  deluge  of  argument,  and  admit  that  Toby  may  have 
acquired  the  art  of  embroidery  with  or  without  a  master, 
only  I  should  like  to  see  some  other  specimen  of  his 
skill." 

"  Probably  you  will  by-and-by,"  replied  Jack,  laughing, 
"  if  you  keep  your  eyes  open." 

Here  Sophia  came  into  the  room  leading  her  gazelle. 

"Ah,  just  in  time,"  said  Mrs.  Wolston;  "here  is  another 
animal  that  probably  has  something  to  say." 

"  Wrong,  mamma,"  replied  Sophia  ;  "  my  gazelle  is  as 
mute  as  a  mermaid.  Very  provoking,  is  it  not,  when  all 
the  other  animals  in  the  house  talk  ?  " 

"  You  had  better  apply  to  Muster  Jack  ;  he  may,  pro- 
bably, be  able  to  hit  upon  a  plan  to  make  your  gazelle 
communicative." 

"  Will  you,  Master  Jack  ? " 

"  Certainly,  Miss  Sophia.  The  plan  I  would  suggest  is 
very  simple.  Feed  him  for  a  week  or  two  with  nouns, 
adjectives,  and  verbs." 

Here  Sophia,  addressing  her  gazelle,  said,  "Master  Jack 
Becker  is  a  goose." 

Meantime  Fritz  was  leaning  on  the  back  of  Mary's 
chair. 

"Miss  Wolston,"  said  he,  "did  you  not  tell  me  that  you 
had  brought  Toby  up,  and  that  you  were  very  fond  of 
him?" 

"  Yes,  Fritz." 

<l  Then  it  would  be  unfair  in  me  to  Avithdraw  his 
allegiance  from  you  now,  and,  consequently,  I  must  refuse 
your  present." 


WILLIS    THE    PILOT.  191 

\ 

"  But  where  would  have  been  the  merit  of  the  gift  if  I 
did  not  hold  him  in  some  esteem?  Besides,  I  thought  you 
were  fond  of  Toby." 

"  So  I  am,  Miss  Wolston." 

"  Then  you  will  not  be  indebted  to  me  for  anything  —  I 
owe  you  much." 

"  No  such  thing ;  you  owe  me  nothing." 

"  My  life,  then,  is  nothing  ?  " 

"  Oh,  I  did  not  mean  that ;  I  must  beg  your  pardon."    ' 

"  Which  I  will  only  grant  on  condition  you  accept  my 
gift." 

"  Well,  if  you  insist  upon  it,  I  will." 

"  I  can  see  him  as  before ;  the  only  difference  will  be 
that  you  are  his  master,  in  all  other  respects  he  will 
belong  to  us  both." 

"  May  I  know  what  your  knight-errant  is  saying  to  you, 
Mary  ?  "  inquired  Mrs.  Becker. 

"  Oh,  I  have  been  so  angry  with  him ;  he  was  going  to 
refuse  my  present." 

"That  was  very  naughty  of  him,  certainly." 

"  He  has,  however,  consented,  like  a  dutiful  squire,  to 
obey  my  behests." 

"  Yes,  mother,  Toby  is  henceforth  to  be  divided 
between  us." 

"  Divided  ?  " 

"  Yes ;  that  is,  he  is  to  be  nominally  mine,  but  virtually 
to  belong  to  us  both.  Is  it  not  so,  Miss  Wolston  ?  " 

"Yes,  Master  Fritz."     * 

On  his  side,  Jack  had  approached  Miss  Sophia. 

"So  you  won't  give  me  your  gazelle  ?"  he  whispered. 

"  No,  certainly  not,  Mr.  Jack, '  replied  Sophia ;  "  if  you 
had  saved  my  life,  as  Fritz  saved  my  sister's,  I  should 
then  have  had  the  right  to  make  you  a  present.  But  you 
know  it  is  not  my  fault." 

"  Nor  mine  either,"  said  Jack. 

•'  Perhaps  not ;  but  if  I  had  fallen  into  the  sea,  you 
would  have  allowed  the  sharks  to  swallow  me,  wbuld1  you 
not?" 

"  I  only  wish  we  had  been  attacked  by  a  hyena  or  a 
bear  on  our  way  to  Waldeck." 


192  WILLIS    THE    PILOT. 

"  God  be  thanked,  that  we  were  not ! " 

"  Well,  but  look  here,  Miss  Sophia ;  let  me  paint  the 
scene.  You  have  fainted,  as  a  matter  of  course,  and 
fallen  prostrate  on  the  ground,  insensible." 

"  That  is  likely  enough,  if  we  had  encountered  one  of 
the  animals  you  mention." 

"  Then  I  throw  myself  between  you  and  the  savage 
brute." 

"  Supposing  you  were  not  half  a  mile  off  at  the  time." 

"No  fear  of  that  —  he  rises  on  his  hind  legs,  and 
glares." 

"  Is  it  a  hyena  or  a  bear  ?  " 

"  Oh,  whichever  you  like  —  he  opens  his  jaws,  and 
growls." 

"  Like  the  wolf  at  Little  Red  Riding  Hood." 

"  I  plunge  my  arm  down  his  throat  and  choke  him." 

"  Clever,  very ;  but  are  you  not  wounded  ?  " 

"  I  beg  your  pardon,  however ;  all  my  thoughts  are 
centred  in  you  —  I  think  of  nothing  else." 

"  I  am  insensible,  am  I  not  ?  " 

"  Yes,  more  than  ever  —  we  all  run  towards  you,  and 
exert  ourselves  to  bring  you  back  to  your  senses." 

"  Then  I  come  to  life  again." 

"  No,  stop  a  bit." 

"  But  it  is  tiresome  to  be  so  long  insensible." 

'*  My  mother  has  luckily  a  bottle  of  salts,  which  she 
holds  to  your  nose  —  I  run  off  to  the  nearest  brook,  and 
return  with  water  in  the  crown  of  my  cap,  with  which  I 
bathe  your  temples." 

"  Oh,  in  that  case,  I  should  open  one  eye  at  least. 
Which  eye  is  opened  first  after  fainting  ?  " 

"  I  really  don't  know." 

"  In  that  case,  to  avoid  mistakes,  I  should  open  both." 

"  It  is  only  then,  when  I  find  you  are  recovering,  that 
I  discover  the  brute  has  severely  bitten  my  arm." 

"  Then  comes  my  turn  to  nurse  you." 

"  You  express  your  thanks  in  your  sweetest  tones,  and 
I  forget  my  wounds." 

"  Sweet  tones  do  no  harm,  if  they  are  accompanied  with 
salves  and  ointment." 


WILLIS    THE   PILOT.  193 

u  In  short,  I  am  obliged  to  carry  my  arm  in  a  sling  for 
three  months  after." 

"  Is  that  not  rather  long  ?  " 

"  No ;  because  your  arm,  in  some  sort,  supplies,  mean- 
time, the  place  of  mine." 

"  Your  picture  has,  at  least,  the  merit  of  being  poetic. 
Is  it  finished  ?  " 

"  Not  till  next  New  Year's  Day,  when  you  present  me 
with  an  embroidered  scarf,  as  the  ladies  of  yore  used  to 
do  to  the  knights  that  defended  them  from  dragons  and 
that  sort  of  thing." 

"  What  a  pity  all  this  should  be  only  a  dream  !  " 

"Well,  I  am  not  particularly  extravagant,  at  all  events; 
others  dream  of  fortune,  honor,  and  glory." 

"  Whilst  you  confine  your  aspirations  to  a  bear,  a  bite, 
and  a  scarf." 

"  You  see  nothing  was  wanted  but  the  opportunity." 

"And  foresight." 

"Foresight?" 

"  Yes ;  if  you  had  previously  made  arrangements  with 
a  bear,  the  whole  scene  might  have  been  realized." 

"  You  are  joking,  whilst  I  am  taking  the  matter  au 
serieux." 

"  That  order  is  usually  reversed  ;  generally  you  are  the 
quiz  and  I  am  the  quizzee." 

"  You  will  admit,  at  all  events,  that  I  would  not  have 
permitted  the  bear  to  eat  you." 

Here    Sophia    burst    into   a    peal  of   laughter,   and 
vanished  with  her  gazelle. 
17 


CHAPTER   XVI. 

•KPAKAT1OW ,^T»T,PHS      AND      GHIBELINES JIONTACUES      A^» 

CAPDLETS SADNESS ^    REUNION JOCKO    AND    HIS    KL>C- 

CATION THE    ENTERTAINMENTS    "»    A  KIHO THE    MULES 

NERO  AND  THE    ASSES  OF  POPP^EA— HERCULES  AND  ACHILLES 

LIBERTY  AND  EQUALITY 8EMIRAMIS  AND  ELIZABETH CHRIS- 
TIANITY AND  THE  RELIGION  OF  ZOROASTER  —  THE  WILLIS- 
ONIAX  METHOD  —  MORAL  DISCIPLINE  VERSUS  BIRCH. 

WINTER  was  now  drawing  near,  with  its  storms  and 
ieluges.  Becker  therefore  felt  that  it  was  necessary  to 
make  some  alterations  in  their  domestic  arrangements ; 
and  he  saw  that,  for  this  season  at  all  events,  the  two 
•"amilies  must  be  separated  —  this  was  to  create  a  desert 
within  a  desert;  but  propriety  and  convenience  demanded 
the  sacrifice. 

It  was  decided  that  Wolston  and  his  family  should  be 
quartered  at  Rockhouse,  whilst  Becker  and  his  family 
should  pass  the  rainy  season  at  Falcon's  Nest,  where, 
though  these  aerial  dwellings  were  but  indifferently 
adapted  for  winter  habitations,  they  had  passed  the  first 
year  of  their  sojourn  in  the  colony.  The  rains  came  and 
submerged  the  country  between  the  two  families,  thus, 
for  a  time,  cutting  off  all  communication  between  them. 
The  barriers  that  separated  the  Guelphs  from  the  Ghibe- 
lines,  the  Montagues  from  the  Capnlets,  the  Burgundians 
from  the  Arraagnacs,  and  the  House  of  York  from  that  of 
Lancaster,  could  not  have  been  more  impenetrable  than 
that  which  now  existed  between  the  Wolstons  and  Beckers. 

Whenever  a  lull  occurred  in  the  storm,  or  a  ray  of 
sunshine  shot  through  the  mnrky  clouds,  all  eyes  were 
mechanically  turned  to  the  window,  but  only  to  turn  them 
away  again  with  a  sigh ;  so  completely  had  the  waters 
invaded  the  land,  that  nothing  short  of  the  dove  from 


WILLIS    THE    PILOT.  195 

Noah's  Ark  could  have  performed  the  journey  between 
Rockhouse  and  Falcon's  Nest. 

Dulness  and  dreariness  reigned  triumphant  at  both 
localities.  The  calm  tranquility  that  Becker's  family 
formerly  enjoyed  under  similar  circumstances  had  fled. 
They  felt  that  happiness  was  no  longer  to  be  enjoyed 
•within  the  limits  of  their  own  circle.  Study  and  con- 
versation had  lost  their  charms ;  and  if  they  laughed  now, 
the  smile  never  extended  beyond  the  tips  of  their  lips. 
The  young  people  often  wished  they  possessed  Fortunatus's 
cap,  or  Aladdin's  wonderful  lamp,  to  transport  them  from 
the  one  dwelling  to  the  other ;  but  as  they  could  obtain 
no  such  occult  mode  of  conveyance,  there  was  no  remedy 
for  their  miseries  but  patience.  To  the  Wolstons  this 
interval  of  compulsory  separation  was  particularly  irksome, 
as  this  was  the  fir.st  time  in  their  lives  that  they  had  been 
entirely  isolated  for  any  length  of  time. 

At  Falcon's  Nest,  Ernest  was  the  most  popular  member 
of  the  domestic  circle.  His  astronomical  predilections 
made  him  the  Sir  Oracle  of  the  storm,  and  he  was  con- 
stantly being  asked  for  information  relative  to  the  progress 
and  probable  duration  of  the  rains.  Every  morning  he 
was  called  upon  for  a  report  as  to  the  state  of  the  weather; 
but,  with  all  his  skill,  he  could  afford  them  very  little  con- 
solation. 

But  all  things  come  to  an  end,  as  well  as  regards  our 
troubles  as  our  joys.  One  morning,  Ernest  reported  th#t 
less  rain  had  fallen  during  the  preceding  than  any  former 
night  of  the  season  ;  the  next  morning  a  still  more  favor- 
able report  was  presented ;  and  on  the  third  morning  the 
floods  had  subsided,  but  had  left  a  substratum  of  mud  that 
obliterated  all  traces  of  the  roads.  Notwithstanding  this, 
and  a  smart  shower  that  continued  to  fall,  Fritz  and  Jack 
determined  to  force  a  passage  to  Rockhouse. 

Towards  evening,  the  two  young  men  returned,  soaking 
with  wet  and  covered  with  mud,  but  with  light  hearts,  for 
they  had  found  their  companions  in  the  enjoyment  of  per- 
felt  health  and  in  the  best  spirits.  They  brought  back 
with  them  a  missive,  couched  in  the  following  terms :  — 

"  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Wolston,  greeting,  desire  the  favor  of 


196  WILLIS    THE    PILOT. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Becker's  company  to  dinner,  together  with 
their  entire  family,  this  day  se'nnight,  weather  permitting." 

Ernest  was  hereupon  consulted,  and  stated  that,  in  so 
far  as  the  rain  was  concerned,  they  should  in  eight  days 
be  able  to  undertake  the  journey  to  Rockhouse.  This 
assurance  was  not,  however,  entirely  relied  upon,  for 
between  this  and  then  many  an  anxious  eye  was  turned 
skywards,  as  if  in  search  of  some  more  conclusive  evidence. 
Those  who  possess  a  garden — and  he  who  has  not,  were  it 
only  a  box  of  mignionette  at  the  window  —  will  often  have 
observed,  in  consequence  of  absence  or  forgetfulness,  that 
their  flowers  have  begun  to  droop;  they  hasten  to  sprinkle 
them  with  water,  then  watch  anxiously  for  signs  of  their 
revival.  So  both  families  continued  unceasingly  during 
these  eight  days  to  note  the  ever-varying  modifications  of 
the  clouds. 

At  length  the  much  wished-for  day  arrived ;  the  morn- 
ing broke  with  a  blaze  of  sunshine,  and  though  hidden 
with  a  dense  mist,  the  ground  was  sufficiently  hardened  to 
bear  their  weight.  Wolston  awaited  his  guests  at  a  bridge 
of  planks  that  had  been  thrown  across  the  Jackal  River, 
where  he  and  Willis  had  erected  a  sort  of  triumphal  arch 
of  mangoe  leaves  and  palm  branches.  Here  Becker  and 
his  family  were  welcomed,  as  if  the  one  party  had  just 
arrived  from  Tobolsk,  and  the  other  from  Chandernagor, 
after  an  absence  of  ten  years. 

Another  warm  reception  awaited  them  at  Rockhouse, 
where  an  abundant  repast  was  already  spread  in  the 
gallery.  Mrs.  Becker  had  often  intended  to  work  herself 
a  pair  of  gloves,  but  the  increasing  demand  for  stockings 
had  hitherto  prevented  her.  She  was  pleased,  therefore, 
on  sitting  down  to  dinner,  to  discover  a  couple  of  pairs 
under  her  plate,  with  her  o*vn  initials  embroidered  upon 
them. 

"Ah,"  said  she,  "I  was  almost  afraid  I  had  lost  my 
daughters,  but  I  have  found  them  again." 

After  dinner  the  girls  showed  her  a  quantity  of  cotton 
they  had  spun,  which  proved  that,  though  they  might  have 
been  dull,  they  had,  at  least,  been  industrious. 

"Mary  span  the  most  of  it,"  said  Sophia;  "but  you 
know,  Mrs.  Becker,  she  is  the  biggest." 


WILLIS    THE    PILOT.  )J/ 

"  Oh,  then,"  said  Jack.  "  f  he  power  of  spinning  depends 
upon  the  bulk  of  the  spinner?" 

"Oh,  Blaster  Jack,  I  thought  you  had  been  ill,  that  you 
L  i  not  commenced  quizzing  u.s  before." 

"Never  mind  him,  Softy,"  said  her  father;  "  to  quote 
Iludibras, 

"  There's  nothing  on  earth  hath  so  perfect  a  phiz, 
As  not  to  give  birth  to  a  passable  quiz." 

Here  Willis  led  in  the  chimpanzee,  who  made  a  grimace 
to  the  assembled  company. 

"Now,  ladies  and  gentlemen,"  said  Willis,  "Jocko  is 
about  to  show  you  the  progress  he  has  made  in  splicing 
and  bracing." 

"  Good ! "  said  Becker,  "  you  have  been  able  to  make 
something  of  him,  then  ?" 

"  You  will  see  presently.     Jocko,  bring  me  a  plate." 

Hereupon  the  chimpanzee  seized  a  bottle  of  Rockbouse 
malaga,  and  filled  a  glass. 

"  He  has  erred  on  the  safe  side  there,"  said  Jack,  drily. 

"  Well,"  added  Willis,  laughing,  "  we  must  let  that  pass. 
Jocko,"  said  he,  assuming  a  sententious  tone,  "  I  asked  you 
for  a  plate." 

The  chimpanzee  looked  at  him,  hesitated  a  moment, 
then  seized  the  glass,  and  drank  the  contents  off  at  a  single 
draught.  A  box  on  the  ears  then  sent  him  gibbering  into 
a  corner. 

"  Your  servant,"  remarked  Mrs.  Wolston,  "  has  been 
taking  lessons  from  Dean  Swift  as  well  as  yourself,  Willis." 

"  I  will  serve  him  out  for  that,  the  swab ;  he  does  not 
play  any  of  those  tricks  when  we  are  atone.  I  must  admit, 
however,  that  I  am  generally  in  the  habit  of  helping  my- 
self." 

Here  attention  was  called  to  the  parrot,  who  was 
screaming  out  lustily,  "  I  love  Mary,  I  love  Sophia." 

"Holloa,"  exclaimed  Fritz,  "Polly  loves  everybody 
now,  does  she  ?  " 

"  Well,  you  see,"  replied  Sophia,  "  I  grew  tired  of  hear- 
17* 


198  WILLIS    THE    PILOT. 

ing  him  scream  always  that  he  loved  my  sister,  so  by 
means  of  a  little  coaxing,  and  a  good  deal  of  sugar,  I  got 
him  to  love  me  too." 

The  poultry  were  next  mustered  for  the  inspection  of 
their  old  masters.  These  did  not  consist  of  the  ordinary 
domestic  fowls  alone ;  amongst  them  were  a  beautiful 
flamingo,  some  cranes,  bustards,  and  a  variety  of  tame 
tropical  birds.  With  the  fowls  came  the  pigeons,  which 
were  perching  about  them  in  all  directions. 

"  We  are  now  something  like  the  court  of  France  in  the 
fourteenth  century,"  said  Wolston. 

**  How  so  ?  "  inquired  Becker. 

"  In  the  reign  of  Charles  V.,  they  were  obliged  to  place 
a  trellis  at  the  windows  of  the  Palace  of  St.  Paul  to  prevent 
the  poultry  from  invading  the  dining  room." 

"  Rural  anyhow,"  observed  Jack. 

u  Of  course,  most  other  features  of  the  palace  were  in 
unison  with  this  primitive  state  of  matters.  The  courtiers 
sat  on  stools.  There  was  only  one  chair  in  the  palace, 
that  was  the  arm-chair  of  the  king,  which  was  covered 
with  red  leather,  and  ornamented  with  silk  fringes." 

u  So  that  we  may  console  ourselves  with  the  reflection, 
that  we  are  as  comfortable  here  as  kings  were  at  that  epoch 
in  Europe,"  remarked  Ernest. 

"Yes;  historians  report,  that  when  Alphonso  V.  of 
Portugal  went  to  Paris  to  solicit  the  aid  of  Louis  XI. 
against  the  King  of  Arragon,  who  had  taken  Castile  from 
him,  the  French  monarch  received  him  with  great  honor, 
and  endeavored  to  make  his  stay  as  agreeable  as  possible." 

"  Reviews,  I  suppose,  feasts,  tournaments,  spectacles, 
and  so  forth." 

"  A  residence  was  assigned  him  in  the  Rue  de  Prouvaires, 
at  the  house  of  one  Laurent  Herbelot,  a  grocer." 

"  What !  amongst  dried  peas  and  preserved  plums  ?  " 

"  Precisely  ;  but  the  house  of  Herbelot  might  then  have 
been  one  of  the  most  commodious  buildings  in  all  Paris. 
Alphonso  was  afterwards  conducted  to  the  palace,  where 
he  pleaded  his  cause  before  the  king.  Next  day  he  was 
entertained  at  the  archiepiscopal  residence,  where  he  wit- 


WILLIS   THE   PILOT.  199 

nessed  the  induction  of  a  doctor  in  theology.  The  day 
after  that  a  procession  to  the  university  was  organized, 
which  passed  under  the  grocer's  windows." 

"These  were  singular  marvels  to  entertain  a  king 
withal,"  said  Jack. 

"  Such  were  the  amusements  peculiar  to  the  epoch.  It 
must  be  observed  that  the  Louis  in  question  was  somewhat 
close-fisted,  and  rarely  drew  his  purse-strings  unless  he 
was  certain  of  a  good  interest  for  his  money.  But  courts 
in  those  days  were  very  simple  and  frugal.  The  sumptuary 
laws  of  Philip  le  Bel  (1285)  had  fixed  supper  at  three 
dishes  and  a  lard  soup.  The  king's  own  dinner  was  like- 
wise limited  to  three  dishes." 

"  These  three  dishes  might,  however,  have  yielded  a 
better  repast  than  the  fifty-two  saucers  of  the  Chinese," 
remarked  Jack. 

"  No  one  could  obtain  permission  to  give  his  wife  four 
dresses  a  year,  unless  he  had  an  income  of  six  thousand 
francs." 

"  What  business  had  the  laws  to  interfere  with  these 
things,  I  should  like  to  know?"  inquired  Mrs.  "Wblston. 

"  Tiiose  who  possessed  two  thousand  francs  income  were 
only  allowed  to  wear  one  dress  a  year,  the  cloth  for  which 
was  not  permitted  to  exceed  tenpence  a  yard ;  but  ladies 
of  rank  could  go  as  high  as  fifteenpence." 

"  Philip  le  Bel  must  have  been  an  old  woman,"  insisted 
Mrs.  Wolston. 

'k  No  private  citizen  was  permitted  to  use  a  carriage, 
and  such  persons  were  likewise  interdicted  the  use  of 
flambeaux." 

"  They  were  permitted  to  break  their  necks  at  all  events, 
that  is  something." 

"  In  England,  the  same  primitive  simplicity  prevailed ; 
Queen  Elizabeth  is  said  to  have  breakfasted  on  a  gallon  of 
ale,  her  dining-room  floor  was  strewn  every  day  with 
fresh  straw  or  rushes,  and  she  had  only  one  pair  of  silk 
stockings  in  her  entire  wai-drobe." 

"  At  the  same  time,"  observed  Ernest,  "  these  usages 
stand  in  singular  contradiction  to  those  that  prevailed  at 
an  earlier  age.  The  supper  of  Lucullus  rarely  cost  him 


200  WILLIS    THE    PILOT. 

less  than  thirty  thousand  francs,  and  he  could  entertain  five 
and  twenty  thousand  guests.  Six  citizens  of  Rome  pos- 
sessed a  great  part  of  Africa.  Domitius  had  an  estate  in 
France  of  eighty  thousand  acres." 

"  Poor  fellow !  " 

"  When  Nero  went  to  Baise  he  was  accompanied  by  a 
thousand  chariots  and  two  thousand  mules  caparisoned 
with  silver.  Poppaea  followed  him  with  five  hundred  she 
asses  to  furnish  milk  for  her  bath.  Cicero  purchased  a 
dining-room  table  that  cost  him  a  million  sesterces,  or 
about  two  hundred  thousand  francs.  I  can  understand 
the  progress  of  civilization,  and  I  can  also  understand 
civilization  remaining  stationary  for  a  given  period ;  but  I 
cannot  understand  why  a  citizen  of  ancient  Rome  should 
be  able  to  lodge  twenty-five  thousand  men,  whilst  a  king 
of  France  could  scarcely  keep  the  ducks  from  waddling 
about  his  apartments,  and  a  queen  of  England  could  fare 
no  better  than  a  ploughman." 

"  If,"  replied  Frank,  "  there  were  no  other  criterion  of 
civilization  than  luxury  and  riches,  you  would  have  good 
grounds  for  surprise  ;  but  such  is  not  the  case.  Between 
ancient  and  modern  times,  Christianity  arose,  and  that  has 
tended  in  some  degree  to  keep  down  the  ostentation  of  the 
rich,  and  to  augment,  at  the  same  time,  the  comforts  of  the 
poor.  In  place  of  the  heroes,  Hercules  and  Achilles,  we 
have  had  the  apostles  Peter  and  Paul;  so  Luther  and 
Calvin  have  been  substituted  for  Semiramis  and  Nero. 
Pride  has  given  place  to  charity,  and  corruption  to  virtue." 

"  Would  that  it  were  so,  Frank,"  continued  Ernest. 
"  Christianity  has,  doubtless,  effected  many  beneficial 
changes,  and  produced  many  able  men ;  but  in  this  last 
respect  antiquity  has  not  been  behind.  It  has  also  its 
sages:  Thales,  Socrates,  and  Pythagoras,  for  example." 

"  True,"  replied  Frank,  "-nntiquity  has  produced  some 
virtuous  men,  but  their  virtue  was  ideal,  and  their  creed  a 
dream." 

"  And  the  Stoics  ?  " 

"  The  Stoics  despised  suffering,  and  Christians  resign 
themselves  to  its  chastisements;  this  constitutes  one  of 
the  lines  of  demarcation  between  ancient  and  modern 
theology." 


WILLIS    THE    PILOT.  201 

"  But  there  were  many  signal  instances  of  virtue  mani- 
fested in  ancient  times." 

"  Yes ;  but  for  the  most  part,  it  was  either  exaggerated 
or  false ;  unyielding  pride,  obstinate  courage,  implacable 
resentment  of  injuries.  Errors  promenaded  in  robes  under 
the  porticos.  Ambition  was  hono  il  in  Alexander,  suicide 
in  Cato,  and  assassination  in  Brutus." 

"But  what  say  you  to  Plato  ?  " 

"  The  immolation  of  ill-formed  children,  and  of  those 
born  without  the  permission  of  the  laws,  prosecution  of 
strangers  and  slavery ;  such  were  the  ba.-<j<  of  his  boasted 
republic,  md  the  gospel  of  his  philosophy." 

"  Why,  then,  are  these  men  held  up  as  models  for  our 
imitation?" 

u  Because  they  are  distant  and  dead ;  likewise,  because 
they  were,  in  many  respects,  great  and  wise,  considering 
the  paganism  and  darkness  with  which  they  were  sur- 
rounded. Life  was  then  only  sacred  to  the  few ;  the  many 
were  treated  as  beasts  of  burden.  The  Emperor  Claudian 
even  felt  bound  to  issue  an  edict  prohibiting  slaves  from 
being  slain  when  they  were  old  and  feeble" 

"  Which  leaves  a  margin  for  us  to  suppose  that  they 
might  be  slain  when  they  were  young  and  strong,"  observed 
Jack. 

"  By  the  constitution  of  Constantine  certain  cases  were 
defined,  where  a  master  might  suspend  his  slave  by  the 
feet,  have  him  torn  by  wild  beasts,  or  tortured  by  slow 
fire." 

"  Does  slavery  and  its  horrors  not  still  exist,  for  example, 
in  Russia  and  the  United  States  of  America?" 

"  Slavery  does  exist,  to  the  great  disgrace  of  modern 
civilization,  in  the  countries  you  mention  ;  but,  so  far  as  I 
am  aware,  its  horrors  are  not  recognized  by  the  laws." 

"  There,  Mr.  Frank,"  said  Wolston,  "  I  am  very  sorry 
to  be  under  the  ivcessity  of  contradicting  you.  I  have 
visited  the  slave  Mates  of  North  America,  and  have  wit- 
ne^ed  atrocities  perhaps  less  brutal,  but  not  less  heart- 
rending, than  tnose  you  mention." 

"  But  do  the  laws  recognize  then  ?  " 

"  Yes,  tacitly  ;  the  testimony  of  the  slaves  themselves  is 
not  received  as  evidence." 


202  "WILLIS    THE    PILOT. 

"  Why  do  a  people  that  call  their  country  a  refuge  for 
the  down-trodden  nations  of  Europe  suffer  such  abomina- 
tions ?  " 

"  "Well,  according  to  themselves,  it  is  entirely  a  question 
of  the  almighty  dollar.  If  there  were.no  slaves,  the  swamp-; 
and  morasses  of  the  south  could  not  be  cultivated.  It  has 
been  found  that  the  negro  will  dance,  and  sing,  and  pfai-vc, 
but  he  will  not  work  in  the  fields  when  free.  Beside-, 
they  assert,  that  the  slaves  are  generally  w1!  cared  for, 
and  that  it  is  only  a  few  detestable  masters  that  beat  them 
cruelly." 

"Then,  at  all  events,  dollars  are  preferred  to  humanity 
by  the  United  States  men,  in  spite  of  their  vaunted 
emblems  —  liberty  and  equality." 

"Quite  so.  In  all  matters  of  internal  policy,  t'»e  dollar 
reigns  supreme." 

"Admitting,"  continued  Frank,  "that  the  evils  of  slavery 
may  exist  in  a  section  of  the  American  Union,  and  amongst 
the  barbarous  hordes  of  Russia,  these  evils  are  trifling  in 
comparison  with  others  that  stain  the  annals  of  antiquity. 
We  are  told  that  a  hundred  and  twenty  persons  applied  to 
Otho  to  be  rewarded  for  killing  Galba.  That  so  many 
men  should  contend  for  the  honor  of  premeditated 
murder,  is  sufficiently  characteristic  of  the  epoch.  There 
was  then  no  corruption,  no  brutal  passion,  that  had  not 
its  temple  and  its  high  priest.  In  the  midst  of  all  this 
wickedness  and  vice  there  appeared  a  man,  poor  r.nd 
humble,  who  accomplished  what  no  man  ever  did  before, 
and  what  no  man  will  ever  do  again  —  he  founded  a  moral 
and  etei  nal  civilization.  Judaism  and  the  relig'on  of 
Zoroaster  wore  overthrown.  The  gods  of  Tyre  and  Car- 
thage were  destroyed.  The  beliefs  of  Miltiades  and  of 
Pericles,  of  Scipio  and  Seneca,  were  disavowed.  The 
thousands  that  ilocked  ainiually  to  worsl  ' ••»  the  F'eusin::i.i 
Ceres  ceased  their  pilgrimage.  Odin  ^id  his  disci;  !es 
have  'all  perished.  The  very  language  of  Osiris,  which 
was  afterwards  spoken  by  the  Ptolemies,  is  no  longer 
known  to  his  descendants.  The  paganisms  which  still 
exist  in  the  East  are  rapidly  yielding  to  the  march  of 
\vc.,tern  intelligence*.  Christianity  alone,  amidst  all  these 


WII.LIS  TIII;  PILOT.  203 

towering  and  fallen  fabrics,  retains  its  original  vitality,  for, 
like  its  author,  it  is  imperishable." 

"It  is  a  curious  thing  what  we  call  conversation," 
observed  Mrs.  Wolston.  "  No  sooner  is  one  subject 
broached  than  another  is  introduced  ;  and  we  go  on  from 
one  thing  to  another  until  the  original  idea  is  lost  sight  of. 
Leaving  the  palace  of  Charles  V.,  to  go  with  the  King  of 
Portugal  to  a  grocer's  shop  in  some  street  or  other  of 
Paris,  we  cross  the  Alps,  the  Himalaya,  and  the  Atlantic. 
Lucullus,  Nero,  Achilles,  Peter,  Paul,  Tyre  and  Sidon, 
Semiramis  and  Elizabeth  —  queens,  saints,  and  philoso- 
phers, are  all  passed  in  review,  and  why?  Because  the 
pigeons  ^ut  my  husband  in  mind  of  the  Palace  of  St. 
Paul ! " 

"  No  wonder,"  observed  Jack  ;  "  these  pigeons  are  car- 
riers, and  naturally  suggest  wandering." 

Once  more  seated  round  the  table,  Fritz,  observing  that 
the  misunderstanding  between  Willis  and  the  chimpanzee 
still  continued,  thrust  a  plate  into  the  hand  of  the  latter, 
and  pointed  with  his  finger  to  Willie.  This  time  Jocko 
obeyed,  for  the  language  was  intelligible,  and  he  went  and 
placed  the  plate  before  his  master. 

"  Ho,  ho ! "  cried  Willis,  "  so  you  have  come  to  your 
senses  at  last,  have  you  ?  Well,  that  saves  you  an  extra 
lesson  to-morrow,  you  1  ber  you." 

"  He  takes  rather  long  to  obey  your  orders,  though, 
Willis ;  it  is  rather  awkward  to  wait  an  hour  for  anything 
you  ask  for.  What  system  do  you  pursue  in  educating 
him  —  •  he  Pestalozzian  or  the  parochial  ?  " 

"  "  >llow  i he  system  in  fashion  aboard  ship,"  replied 
Wilh,. 

"  And  what  does  that  consist  of?" 

"A  rope's  end." 

"Oh,  then,  you  are  an  advocate  for  the  birch,  are  you?" 
paid  Wolston  ;  "  it  L,  doubtless,  a  very  good  thing  when 
moderately  and  judiciously  administered.  That  puts  me 
in  mind  of  the  missionary  and  the  king  of  the  Kuruman 
negroes." 

"  A  tribe  of  Southei-n  Africa,  is  it  not  ?  " 

"  Yes,  the  missionary  and  the  king  were  great  friends. 


204  WILLIS    TUB    PILOT. 

The  king  not  only  permitted  him  to  baptize  his  subjects, 
but  offered  to  whip  them  all  into  Christianity  in  a  week. 
This  summary  mode  of  proselytism  did  not,  however, 
coincide  with  the  Englishman's  ideas,  and  he  refused  the 
oft'er,  although  the  king  insisted  that  it  was  the  only  kind 
of  argument  that  could  ever  reach  their  understanding-." 

The  day  at  length  drew  to  a  close,  and,  though  no  one 
asked  the  time,  yet  all  felt  that  the  moment  of  departure 
was  approaching ;  whether  they  were  willing  to  go  was 
doubtful,  but  that  they  were  loth  to  depart  was  certain. 

"  It  is  time  to  return  now,"  said  Becker,  rising. 

"  Already ! " 

"  There  are  some  clouds  in  the  distance  that  bode  no 
good." 

"  Nothing  more  than  a  little  rain  at  worst,"  said  Jack. 

"  And  your  mother  ?  "  inquired  Becker. 

"  Oh  !  we  can  make  a  palanquin  for  her." 

"  Your  plan,  Jack,  is  not  particularly  bright ;  it  puts  me 
in  mind  of  some  genius  or  other  that  took  shelter  in  the 
water  to  keep  out  of  the  wet." 

"  Very  odd,"  said  Jack,  "  we  are  always  wishing  for 
rain,  and  when  it  comes,  we  do  all  we  can  to  keep  out  of 
its  \vay." 

"That  is,  because  we  are  neither  green  pease  nor 
gooseberries,"  said  Ernest,  drily. 

"  True,  brother ;  and  as  the  rain  is  your  affair,  perhaps 
you  will  be  good  enough  to  delay  it  for  an  hour  or  so." 

"  I  am  sorry  on  my  own  account,  as  well  as  yours,  that 
I  have  not  yet  discovered  the  art  of  controlling  the  skies." 

Here  Fritz  whispered  a  few  word.~  in  his  mother's  ear, 
that  called  up  one  of  those  ineffable  smiles  that  the 
maternal  heart  alone  can  produce. 

'•  Well,"  said  Mrs.  Becker,  "if  you  think  so,  deliver  the 
m<  .ige  yourself." 

"  Mrs.  Wolston,"  said  Fritz,  *  1  am  charged  to  invite 
you  and  your  family  to  Falcon's  Nest  this  day  week." 

'•  The  invitation  is  accepted,  unless  my  daughters  have 
any  objections  to  urge." 

"  How  can  you  fancy  such  a  thing,  mamma  ?  "  said  both 


WILLIS    THE    PILOT.  205 

"  The  fact  is,  that  my  daughters  have  got  such  a  dread 
of  cold  water,  that  they  dread  to  wet  the  soles  of  their 
shoes,  unless  one  or  other  of  you  gentlemen  is  within  hail." 

"  Mamma  does  so  love  to  tease  us,"  said  Mary ;  "  we  are 
afraid  of  nothing  but  putting  you  to  inconvenience." 

"  Well,  in  that  case,  we  shall  be  at  Falcon's  Nest  on  the 
appointed  day,  unless  the  roads  are  positively  submerged." 

"  In  that  case,"  said  Jack,  "  a  line  of  canoes  will  be 
placed  upon  the  highway,  between  the  two  localities." 

As  the  prospect  of  a  prize  incites  the  young  scholar  to 
increased  exertion  —  as  the  prospect  of  worldly  honors 
urges  the  ambitious  man  on  in  his  career  —  as  the  oasis 
cheers  the  weary  traveller  on  his  journey  through  the 
desert,  and  makes  him  forget  hunger  and  thirst  —  as  the 
dreams  of  comfort  and  home  warm  the  blood  of  a  way- 
parer  amongst  snow  and  ice  —  as  hope  smooths  the  rugged- 
aess  of  poverty  and  softens  the  calamities  of  adversity,  so 
the  prospect  of  meeting  again  mitigates  the  regrets  of 
parting. 

18 


CHAPTER  XVH. 

WHERE  THERE'S  A  WILL  THERE'S  A  WAT — MUCIUS  SCJEVOLA — 
WHAT'S  TO  BE  DONE? — BKUTUS  TORQUATUS  AND  PETES  THK 
GREAT  —  AUSTRALIA,  BOTANY  BAT,  AND  THE  FLYING  DUTCH- 
MAN—  NEW  GUINEA  AND  THE  BUCCANEER  —  VANCOUVER'S 
ISLAND  —  WHITE  SKINS  —  DANGER  OF  LANDING  ON  A  WAVE  — 
HANGED  OR  DROWNED  —  ROUTE  TO  HAPPINESS  —  OMENS. 

THE  old  saw,  Where  there's  a  will  there's  a  way,  means 
— if  it  means  anything — that  a  great  deal  may  be  effected 
by  energy.  A  man  without  energy  is  a  helpless  character, 
and  invariably  lags  behind  his  fellow  mortals  in  the  stream 
of  life;  like  a:cork  in  an  eddy,  he  is  rebuffed  here  and 
jostled  there,  and  goes  on  travelling  in  a  circle  to  the  end 
of  the  chapter.  Not  so  the  man  of  action ;  no  jostling 
thwarts  him,  no  rebuffs  retard  him ;  he  breaks  through  all 
sorts  of  obstacles,  and  floats  along  with  the  current. 

Such  a  man  was  Becker.  Though  surrounded  with 
dangers,  and  harassed  by  the  elements,  almost  alone  he 
had  converted  a  wilderness  into  fertile  fields ;  he  pursued 
the  track  that  his  judgment  suggested,  and  followed  it  up 
with  invincible  resolution  ;  he  manfully  resisted  the  sever- 
est trials,  and  cheerfully  bore  the  heaviest  burdens ;  his 
reliance  on  Truth  or  Virtue  and  on  God  were  unfaltering ; 
but  had  he  provided  for  every  emergency?  Is  mortal  power 
capable  of  overcoming  every  difficulty  ?  We  shall  see. 

A  day  or  two  after  the  entertainment  at  Rockhouse, 
Becker  whispered  to  the  Pilot  — 

"  Willis,  take  a  rifle,  and  come  along  with  me  ;  I  have 
something  to  say  to  you." 

They  walked  a  quarter  of  an  hour  or  so  without  utter- 
ing a  word,  when  Willis  broke  the  silence. 

"  You  seem  sad,  Mr.  Becker." 

"  Yes,  Willis,  I  am  almost  distracted." 


WILLIS    THE    PILOT.  207 

"  Still,  you  seem  well  enough ;  you  are  as  hale  and 
hearty  as  if  you  had  just  been  keel-hauled  and  got  a  new 
rig." 

"  It  is  not  my  body  that  is  suffering,  Willis ;  it  is  my 
mind." 

"  Whatever  is  the  matter  ?  " 

"  Willis,  my  wife  is  dying" 

And  so  it  was.  For  a  long  period  Becker's  wife  had 
been  a  prey  to  racking  pains,  which,  so  to  speak,  she  hid 
from  herself,  the  better  to  conceal  them  from  others,  just 
as  if  suffering  had  been  a  crime.  After  having  resisted 
for  fourteen  years  the  afflictions  of  exile,  long  and  perilous 
expeditions,  nights  passed  under  tents,  humid  winters  and 
fierce  burning  summers,  her  health  had,  at  length,  suc- 
cumbed, not  all  at  once,  like  fabrics  sapped  by  gunpowder, 
but  little  by  little,  like  those  that  are  demolished  piece- 
meal with  the  pickaxe  of  the  workman.  Day  by  day  she 
grew  more  and  more  feeble,  without  those  who  were  con- 
stantly by  her  side  observing  the  insidious  workings  of 
disease.  Like  Mucius  Scaevola,  who  held  his  hands  in  a 
burning  brazier  without  uttering  a  word,  she  so  effectually 
hid  her  griefs  within  the  recesses  of  her  own  bosom,  that 
no  one  even  suspected  her  illness. 

"  But,  Mr.  Becker,"  said  Willis,  "  I  saw  your  wife  this 
morning,  and  she  seemed  as  well  as  usual." 

"  Yes,  seemed,  Willis,  that  is  true  enough ;  not  to  give 
us  pain,  she  has  concealed  her  illness  from  us  all.  It  is 
only  within  the  last  twelve  hours  that  I  accidentally  dis- 
covered that  she  has  been  long  laboring  under  some  fear- 
ful malady." 

"  Do  you  know  the  nature  of  the  disease  ?" 

"  No,  that  I  have  no  means  of  ascertaining ;  it  may  be 
a  distinct  form  of  disease,  or  it  may  be  a  complication  of 
disorders,  which  I  know  not" 

"  It  would  not  signify  about  the  name  if  we  only  knew 
a  remedy." 

"  True ;  but  I  dread  some  malady  of  a  cancerous  type, 
which  could  not  be  eradicated  without  surgical  skill." 

"  I  wish  I  had  beeii  born  a  doctor  instead  of  a  pilot," 
sighed  Willis. 


208  WILLIS    TI1K    PILOT. 

"  I  cannot  see  her  perish  before  my  eyes." 

"  Certainly  not,  Mr.  Becker;  it  would  never  do  to  allow 
a  ship  to  sink  if  she  can  be  saved." 

"Well,  what  is  to  be  done?" 

"  There  lies  the  difficulty ;  had  it  been  a  question  of 
anything  that  floats  on  the  water,  I  might  have  suggested 
a  remedy ;  but,  in  tlas  case,  I  am  fairly  run  aground." 

"  I  know  too  well  what  must  be  done,  Willis.  In  cases 
of  ordinary  maladies,  with  care  and  due  precaution,  proper 
nourishment  and  time,  Nature  will  generally  effect  a  cure." 

"  Nature  has  no  diploma,  but  she  accomplishes  more 
cures  than  those  that  have." 

"  Unfortunately  this  is  not  a  malady  that  can  be  cured 
by  such  means ;  and,  unless  its  progress  be  checked  in 
time,  it  may  ultimately  assume  a  form  that  will  render  a 
cure  impossible." 

"Is  death,  then,  inevitable?" 

"A  patient  may  retain  a  languishing  life  under  such  cir- 
cumstances for  some  time ;  but  if  the  disease  be  cancer,  a 
cure  is  hopeless  without  instruments  and  scientific  skill." 

"  I  thought  I  was  the  only  wretched  being  in  the  colo- 
ny," said  Willis,  sighing,  "  but  I  find  I  am  not  alone." 

"  There  are  no  hopes  of  the  Nelson,  are  there  ?".  inquired 
Becker. 

"  None  now ;  for  some  time  Mr.  Wolston  and  yourself 
almost  persuaded  me  that  she  had  escaped ;  but  had  she 
reached  the  Cape,  we  should  have  heard  of  her  ere  now." 

"  The  probabilities  of  another  vessel  touching  here  are 
small,  are  they  not  ?  " 

"  We  are  not  in  the  direct  track  to  anywhere;  therefore, 
unless  a  ship  has  been  driven  out  of  her  course  by  a  gale,, 
there  is  not  a  chance." 

"  Unfortunate  that  I  am  ! "  exclaimed  Becker,  covering 
his  face  with  his  hands.  "  Brutus,  Manlius  Torquatus, 
and  Peter  the  Great,  condemned  their  sons  to  death,  but 
they  were  guilty ;  still  the  sacrifice  must  be  made." 

Here  Willis  stared  aghast,  and  began  to  fear  Becker's 
intellect  had  been  affected  by  his  troubles. 

"  I  do  not  exactly  understand  you,  Mr.  Becker." 

"  Two  of  my  sons  have  gone  on  before  us  ;  they  were  to 


WILLIS   THE   PILOT.  209 

embark  in  the  canoe  for  Shark's  Island,  and  wait  for  us 
there.  I  must  have  courage,  and  you  also,  Willis." 

This  exordium  did  not  tend  to  alter  the  Pilot's  impres- 
sion. They  walked  on  for  some  time  in  silence  towards 
the  coast. 

"  Do  you  know  the  latitude  and  longitude  of  this  coast, 
Willis?" 

"  Good  ! "  thought  the  Pilot,  "  he  has  changed  the  sub- 
ject." 

"  Yes ;  we  are  in  the  South  Sea,  and  no  great  distance 
from  the  line." 

"  What  continent  is  nearest  us  ?  " 

"  We  cannot  be  very  far  off  the  south  coast  of  New 
Holland,  or,  as  it  is  named  in  some  charts,  Australia.  You 
know  that  the  Nelson  hailed  from  Botany  Bay,  or  Sydney, 
as  the  convict  colony  which  the  English  Government  has 
just  founded  there  is  called." 

"  How  far  do  you  suppose  we  are  from  Sydney  ?  " 

"  Well,  I  should  say,  with  a  fair  wind  and  a  smart  craft, 
Sydney  is  not  above  two  months'  sail,  if  so  much." 

"  Is  the  coast  inhabited  ?  " 

"  Yes." 

"  What  character  do  the  inhabitants  bear  ?  " 

"  According  to  the  Dutch  sailors,  who  have  been  on  the 
coast,  they  are  the  most  plundering  and  lubberly  set  of 
rascals  to  be  met  with  anywhere." 

"  They  are  not  acquainted  with  the  use  of  fire-arms,  are 
they?" 

"  No,  not  of  fire-arms  ;  but  they  have  a  machine  of  their 
own  that  they  call  a  waddy,  or  something  of  that  sort, 
which  they  throw  like  a  harpoon ;  but  the  thing  takes  a 
twist  in  the  air,  and  strikes  behind  them." 

"  Is  the  coast  accessible  ?  " 

"  No ;  it  is  fringed  with  reefs,  and,  in  some  places,  the 
surf  runs  for  miles  out  to  sea." 

"  The  navigation  along  shore,  then,  is  extremely  peril- 
ous ?  " 

"Whatever  can  he  be  driving  at?"  thought  Willis. 

"  Yes ;  such  a  lee  shore  in  a  gale  would  terrify  the 
Flying  Dutchman  himself." 


210  WILLIS    THE    PILOT. 

Here  Becker  shook  his  head  dolefully,  and  they  walked 
on  a  little  further  in  silence. 

"  What  islands  do  you  suppose  are  nearest  us,  Willis  ?  " 

"  I  should  say  we  are  in  or  near  the  grou'p  marked  in 
the  chart  Papuasia ;  beyond  them  is  the  territory  of  New 
Guinea,  and  a  point  to  nor'ard  are  a  whole  nest  of  islands 
discovered  by  the  celebrated  buccaneer,  Dampiere." 

"  And  their  inhabitants  ?  " 

"  Oh,  some  of  them  are  pretty  fair ;  but,  taking  them  in 
the  lump,  they  are  a  bad  lot." 

"  The  islands  to  the  west  are  those  discovered  by  Cook, 
Vancouver,  and  Bougainville,  are  they  not  ?  " 

"  They  are  marked  Polynesia  in  the  charts." 

"  Do  you  know  of  any  European  settlements  on  these 
islands  ?  " 

"  Well,  there  is  a  fort  of  the  Hudson's  Bay  Company 
on  Vancouver's  Island,  but  that  is  a  long  way  north ;  and, 
I  believe,  a  factory  has  recently  been  anchored  in  New 
Zealand,  but  that  is  a  long  way  south." 

"  And  what  are  the  principal  islands  between  ?  " 

"  There  is  New  Caledonia,  the  New  Hebrides,  the 
Friendly  Islands,  the  Societies'  Islands,  the  Marquesas, 
Tahite,  and  the  Pelew  Islands ;  but  each  navigator  gives 
them  a  new  name,  so  that  it  is  hard  to  say  which  is  which  ; 
all  you  can  do  is  to  say  that  there  is  an  island  in  latitude 
so  and  so  and  longitude  so  and  so,  but  the  name  is  almost 
out  of  the  question."  . 

"  And  the  natives  ?  " 

"  Some  of  them  are  remarkably  tame,  and  trade  freely 
with  strangers ;  but  others  have  strongly  marked  cannibal 
propensities,  and  dote  upon  a  white-skin  feast  when  they 
can  get  one," 

Here  Becker  shuddered,  and  uttered  an  exclamation  of 
horror. 

"  That  would  be  a  terrible  fate,  Willis." 

"  Whatever  can  he  mean  ?  "  thought  the  Pilot. 

"  Willis,  to  reach  Europe  from  here,  what  course  do  you 
think  would  be  best  ?  " 

"  Now  I  think  I  shall  fix  him  at  last,"  said  the  Pilot, 
levelling  his  rifle  at  an  imaginary  bird. 


WILLIS   THE   PILOT.  211 

"You  will  only  waste  gunpowder,"  said  Becker;  "I  see 
nothing." 

"  You  asked  me  just  now  what  course  I  should  steer  for 
Europe,  did  you  not  ?  " 

«  Yes." 

"Well,  the  most  direct  course  would  be  to  make  the 
Straits  of  Macassar,  and  then  steer  for  Java." 

"  And  when  there  ?  " 

"  You  would  then,  be  fifteen  or  sixteen  hundred  leagues 
from  the  Cape." 

"  So  much  ?  " 

"  Yes,  that  is  about  the  distance  in  a  straight  line  across 
the  Indian  Ocean.  When  at  the  Cape,  another  fifteen 
days'  sail  will  bring  you  to  the  line ;  five  or  six  weeks 
after  that  St.  Helena  will  heave  in  sight ;  then  you  fall  in 
with  the  Island  of  Ascension ;  leaving  which  a  week  or 
two  will  bring  you  to  the  Straits  of  Gibraltar,  where  you 
get  the  first  glimpse  of  Europe.  But  if  you  are  bound  for 
England,  your  daughter  may  commence  woi'king  a  pair  of 
slippers  for  you  ;  they  will  be  ready  by  the  time  you  get 
there." 

They  had  now  Arrived  at  the  point  of  the  Jackal  River 
where  the  pinnace  was  moored. 

"  What  do  you  think  of  this  boat  ?  "  inquired  Becker. 

"  The  pinnace  is  well  enough  for  fair  weather  ;  but  it  is 
not  the  sort  of  craft  I  should  like  to  command  in  a  storm 
at  sea." 

"  So  that  to  venture  to  sea  in  it  would  be  to  incur  immi- 
nent danger  ? " 

"  There  is  no  denying  that,  Mr.  Becker ;  if  she  shipped 
a  moderately  heavy  sea,  down  she  must  go  to  the  bot- 
tom, like  a  four  and  twenty  pound  shot ;  and  if  she  should 
spring  a  leak,  you  cannot  land  to  put  her  to  rights ;  the 
waves  are  by  no  means  solid." 

"  Just  as  I  thought !  "  exclaimed  Becker ;  "  I  was  right 
in  judging  that  it  would  be  a  sacrifice.  It  is  almost  cer- 
tain death ;  but  they  must  go." 

"  Where  ?  "  inquired  Willis. 

"  To  Europe  if  need  be,  if  God  in  his  mercy  spares  the 
pinnace." 


212  WILLIS    THE    PILOT. 

"What  for?" 

"  I  have  the  means  of  purchasing  surgical  skill,  and  I 
must  use  all  the  sacrifices  at  my  command  to  obtain  it." 

"  Avast  heaving,  Mr.  Bwker,"  cried  Willis  ;  "  now  I 
understand;  the  thing  is  as  clear  as  the  tackle  of  the  best 
bower,  and  when  a  resolution  is  once  formed,  nothing  like 
paying  it  out  at  the  word  of  command.  When  shall  we 
start?" 

"  I  am  not  talking  of  either  you  or  myself,  Willis." 

"  Of  whom  then,  may  I  ask  ?  " 

"  Fritz  and  Jack.  Fritz  knows  something  of  naviga- 
tion ;  and  if  they  succeed,  they  will  have  saved  their  mo- 
ther ;  if  they  perish,  they  will  have  died  to  save  her." 

"  Fritz,  as  you  say,  does  know  something  of  navigation, 
particularly  as  regards  coasting ;  but  here  you  have  a  pilot, 
accustomed  to  salt  water,  quite  handy,  why  not  engage 
him  also  ?  " 

"  Willis,  you  have  yourself  said  that  the  undertaking 
is  perilous  in  the  extreme,  and  your  life  is  not  bound  up 
like  theirs  in  that  of  their  mother." 

"  True ;  but  do  you  not  see  that  I  am  sick  of  dry  land, 
and  that  I  am  getting  rusty  for  the  want  of  a  little  sea 
air  ?  " 

"  I  felt  ashamed  to  ask  you  to  share  in  so  desperate  an 
enterprise,  otherwise  I  would  have  proposed  it  to  you, 
Willis." 

"  But  you  might  have  seen  that  I  was  growing  thin,  ab- 
solutely pining  away,  and  drying  up  on  land.  There  are 
ducks  that  can  live  without  water,  but  I  am  not  one  of 
them." 

'<  Am  I,  then,  to  understand  that  you  offer  to  risk  your 
life  in  this  forlorn  hope  ?  " 

"  Certainly,  Mr.  Becker;  a  man  condemned  to  be  hanged, 
running  the  risk  of  being  drowned  is  no  great  sacrifice.'' 

"  Willis,  I  accept  your  offer,  to  share  in  the  dangers  of 
this  enterprise,  most  gratefully.  I  thank  you  in  the  name 
of  my  sons  aad  of  their  mother,  and  trust  that  God  may 
enable  me  to  recompense  you  for  your  devotion  to  them 
and  to  myself." 

"  You  forget,"    added  Willis,   wiping  a  tear  from  the 


WILLIS    THE    PILOT.  213 

corner  of  his  eye,  that  he  ascribed  to  a  grain  of  dust,  "you 
forget  that  I  was  on  the  point  of  venturing  out  to  sea  in 
the  canoe,  had  you  yourself  and  Mr.  "Wolston  not  prevent- 
ed me.  There  is  work  to  be  done,  I  admit ;  and  it  is  not 
impossible  to  cross  even  the  Indian  Ocean  in  the  pinnace. 
But  we  may  find  a  doctor,  perhaps,  at  some  of  the  settle- 
ments—  for  instance,  at  Manilla,  in  the  Philippines." 

"  That  is  not  to  be  hoped  for,  Willis  ;  there  is,  probably, 
only  one  skilful  medical  man  in  each  colony,  and  he  will 
be  prevented  leaving  by  Government  engagements." 

"  True ;  then  we  had  better  hoist  sail  for  Europe  direct, 
and  trust  to  falling  in  with  a  ship  now  and  then." 

"Alas!"  vsighed  Becker,  "in  a  path  so  wide  as  the 
ocean,  it  would  be  unwise  to  trust  to  such  chances ;  you 
will  have  to  rely,  I  fear,  entirely  upon  the  resources  of  the 
pinnace  alone." 

"  Well,  I  dare  say,  though  we  may  have  to  put  up  with 
half  rations,  we  shall  not  starve  on  the  voyage,  at  all 
events." 

They  had  unmoored  the  pinnace,  and  were  on  their 
way  to  Shark's  Island. 

"  You  are  about  to  announce  to  your  sons  their  depar- 
ture?" said  Willis,  inquiringly. 

"  Yes  ;  but  my  heart  almost  fails  me." 

"  The  iron  must  be  struck  while  it  is  hot.  Will  you 
commission  me  to  whisper  a  few  words  in  their  ear  ?  " 

"  Thanks,  Willis  ;  but  what  right  have  I  to  expect  cour- 
age from  them,  if  I  exhibit  weakness  myself?  No,  my 
friend,  I  may  shed  tears  in  your  presence,  but  not  before 
them." 

"  A  man  ought  never  to  allow  his  feelings  to  get  the 
better  of  his  courage,"  said  Willis,  in  whose  eyes,  how- 
ever, the  dust  was  evidently  playing  sad  havoc. 

"  These  boys  have  almost  never  been  absent  from  me. 
I  have  watched  them  grow  up  from  infancy  to  adoles- 
cence, and  from  adolescence  to  manhood ;  they  have  al- 
ways been  dutiful  and  obedient,  and  with  gratitude  I  have 
blessed  them  every  night  of  their  lives.  But  stern  are 
the  decrees  of  Fate ;  I  must  command  them  to  depart 
from  me  —  perhaps  for  ever !  " 


21  t  WILLIS    THE    PILOT. 

"  There  are  evils  that  lead  to  good,"  said  Willis,  "  even 
though  these  evils  be  the  Straits  of  Magellan  or  the  storms 
of  the  Indian  Ocean." 

Here  the  pinnace  reached  the  offing  of  Shark's  Island, 
where  Fritz  and  Jack,  leaning  on  the  battery,  watched  the 
progress  of  the  boat. 

"  Do  you  observe  how  downcast  my  father  looks  ?  "  said 
Fritz. 

"  Willis  does  not  look  much  gayer,"  remarked  Jack. 

"  Do  you  believe  in  omens,  Jack  ?  " 

-  Now  and  then." 

u  Well,  mark  me,  there  is  a  screw  loose  somewhere,  or 
I  am  no  oracle." 


CHAPTER  XVIH. 

BACON  AND  BISCUIT  —  LET  BLEEPING  DOCS  LIE —  THE  PATERNAL 
BENEDICTION  —  AN  APPARITION —  A  MOTHER  KOT  BA8ILT 
DECEIVED  —  THE  ADIEU  —  THE  EMPEROR  CONSTANTS — 15 
HOC  SIGNO  VINCES  —  THE  SAILOR'S  POSTSCRIPT  —  C.ESAB  AKD 

HIS       FORTUNES RECOLLECTIONS MRS.     BECKER      PLUCKS 

STOCKINGS  AND  KNITS  OKTOLANS HOW  DELIGHTFUL  IT  IS  TO 

BE    SCOLDED THE    BODIES  TANISH,  BUT    THE    SOULS  REMAIN. 

ON  their  return  from  Shark's  Island,  Fritz  and  Jade 
were  deeply  affected,  not  by  the  dread  of  the  perils  they 
were  destined  to  encounter  —  these  never  gave  them  a 
moment's  uneasiness  —  but  by  the  knowledge  that  a  mer- 
ciless vulture  was  preying  upon  the  vitals  of  their  beloved 
mother. 

"Willis  on  the  contrary,  appeared  as  lively  as  if  he  had 
just  received  notice  of  promotion  ;  but  whether  the  idea 
of  again  dwelling  on  the  open  sea  had  really  elevated  his 
spirits,  or  whether  this  gaiety  was  only  assumed  to  encour- 
age Becker  and  his  sons,  was  best  known  to  himself. 

It  was  arranged  amongst  them  that  no  one,  under  any 
circumstances,  should  be  made  acquainted  with  the  design 
they  had  in  contemplation.  By  this  means  all  opposition 
would  be  vanquished,  and  the  regrets  of  separation  would, 
in  some  degree,  be  avoided.  Besides,  if  the  project  were 
divulged,  might  not  Frank  and  Ernest  insist  upon  their 
right  to  share  its  dangers  ?  This  eventuality  alcae  was 
sufficient  to  impress  upon  them  all  the  urgency  of  secrecy. 
The  really  strong  man  knows  his  weakness,  and  therefore 
dislikes  to  run  the  risk  of  exposing  it,  so  Becker  dreaded 
the  tears  and  entreaties  that  this  desperate  undertaking 
would  inevitably  exercise,  were  it  generally  known  before- 
hand to  the  rest  of  the  family  ;  whereas,  if  once  the  pin- 
nace were  fairly  at  sea.  it  could  not  be  recalled,  and  time 
would  do  the  rest. 


216  WU.LIS    THE    PILOT. 

Since,  then,  all  the  preparations  had  to  be  made  in  such 
a  way  as  not  to  excite  suspicion  that  any  thing  extra- 
ordinary was  on  foot,  the  progress  was  necessarily  slow. 
"Willis,  under  pretext  of  amusing  himself,  refitted  the 
pinnace,  and  strengthened  it  so  far  as  he  could  without 
impairing  its  sailing  efficiency.  He  called  to  mind  that, 
when  Captain  Cook  reached  Batavia,  after  his  first  voyage 
round  the  world,  he  observed  with  astonishment  that  a 
large  portion  of  the  sides  of  his  famous  ship  the  Endeavor 
was,  under  the  water  line,  no  thicker  than  the  sole  of  a 
shoe. 

As  soon  as  the  weather  had  settled,  and  the  tropical 
heats  set  in,  the  Wolstons  resumed  their  abode  at  Falcon's 
Nest ;  whilst,  under  some  plausible  pretext  or  other,  Willis, 
Fritz,  and  Jack  took  up  their  quarters  at  Rockhouse. 
This  arrangement  gave  the  destined  navigators  the  means 
of  carrying  on  their  operations  unobserved,  especially  as 
regards  salting  provisions  and  baking  for  the  voyage. 

Along  with  the  stores,  a  portion  of  the  valuables,  that 
still  remained  in  the  magazines  of  Roekhouse,  were  placed 
on  board  the  pinnace  ;  for,  though  gold  and  precious  stones 
were  not  of  much  value  in  New  Switzerland,  Becker  had 
not  forgotten  that  such  was  not  the  case  in  other  portions 
of  the  world  ;  he  reflected  that  his  sons  must  be  furnished 
with  the  means  of  returning  to  the  colony  with  comfort. 
There  was  also  a  man  of  science  "and  education  to  be 
bought,  and  that,  he  knew,  could  not  be  done  without 
as  the  French  proverb  has  it,  having  some  hay  in  one's 
boots. 

Storms  are  usually  heralded  by  some  premonitory 
symptoms :  the  atmosphere  becomes  oppressive,  the  clouds 
increase  in  density,  the  sky  gradually  becomes  obscure 
and  large  drops  of  rain  begin  to  fall,  then  follows  the 
deluge,  and  the  elements  commence  their  strife.  It  is  much 
the  same  with  impending  misfortunes :  gloom  gathers  on 
the  countenance,  our  movements  become  constrained,  our 
thoughts  wander,  and  a  tear  lingers  in  the  corner  of  the 
eye.  Fritz  and  Jack  endeavored  in  vain  to  appear  un- 
concerned, but,  in  spite  of  their  efforts,  it  was  painfully 
evident  that  their  minds  were  burdened  by  some  heavy 


WILLIS    THE   PILOT.  217 

weight.  They  were  more  tender  and  more  affectionate, 
particularly  towards  their  mother.  Towards  evening, 
when  they  quitted  the  family  circle  for  Rockhouse,  their 
adieus  were  so  earnest,  so  warm,  and  so  often  repeated, 
that  it  almost  appeared  as  if  they  were  laying  in  a  stock 
of  them  for  their  voyage,  to  store  up  and  preserve  with 
the  bacon  and  biscuits.  Even  the  animals  came  in  for  an 
extra  share  of  caresses,  and,  if  they  were  capable  of  re- 
flection, it  must  have  puzzled  them  sorely  to  account  for 
all  the  endearments  that  were  lavished  upon  them  by  the 
two  brothers. 

Becker  himself  was  no  less  affected  than  his  sons ; 
sometimes,  when  the  latter  were  busily  occupied  with 
some  preparation  for  the  voyage,  he  would  fix  his  eyes 
sadly  upon  them,  just  as  if  every  trait  of  these  cherished 
features  had  not  already  been  deeply  graven  on  his 
soul. 

During  the  preceding  rainy  season,  the  two  young  men 
felt  the  days  long  and  tedious,  and  wished  in  their  inmost 
hearts  that  they  would  pass  away  more  swiftly  ;  now,  the 
hours  seemed  to  fly  with  unaccountable  rapidity,  and  they 
would  gladly  have  lengthened  them  if  they  had  had  the 
power.  But  no  one  can  arrest 

Le  temps,  cette  image  mobile 
De  1'immobile  eternite. 

And  time  is  right  in  holding  on  the  even  tenor  of  its  way ; 
for  if  it  once  yielded  to  the  desires  of  mortals,  there  would 
be  no  end  of  confusion  and  perplexity.  It  takes  unto 
itself  wings  and  flies  away,  say  the  fortunate ;  it  lags  at  a 
snail's  pace,  say  the  unfortunate.  The  idler  knows  not 
how  to  pass  it  away.  The  man  of  action  does  not  observe 
its  progress.  Those  who  are  looking  forward  to  some 
favorite  amusement  exclaim,  "  Would  that  it  were  to- 
morrow ! "  but  how  many  there  are  that  might  well  ejacu- 
late, from  the  bottom  of  their  souls,  "Would  that  to- 
morrow may  never  arrive ! "  How,  then,  could  such 
wishes  be  met  in  a  way  to  satisfy  all  ? 

A  day  at  length  arrived  when  everything  was  ready  for 
departure,  and  when  nothing  was  wanted  to  weigh  anchor 
19 


218  WILLIS    THE    PILOT. 

but  courage  on  the  part  of  the  voyagers.  The  pinnace 
was  laden  to  the  gunwale,  the  compass  was  in  its  place, 
the  casks  were  tilled  with  fresh  water  from  the  Jackal 
River,  and  Willis  reported  that  both  wind  and  sea  were 
propitious  for  a  start. 

The  morning  of  that  day  was  lovely  in  the  extreme. 
Willis,  Fritz,  and  Jack  were  early  at  Falcon's  Nest ;  the 
two  families  breakfasted  together  under  the  trees  in  the 
open  air.  After  breakfast  an  adjournment  to  the  um- 
brageous shade  of  the  bananas  was  proposed  and  agreed  to. 

"  Mother,"  said  Fritz,  taking  Mrs.  Becker's  arm,  "  I 
want  you  all  to  myself." 

"  I  object  to  that,  if  you  please,"  cried  Jack,  taking  her 
other  arm. 

"  Why,  you  boys  seem  extravagantly  fond  of  your 
mother  to-day,"  said  Mrs.  Becker,  gaily. 

"  Well,  you  see,  mother,  we  have  the  right  to  have  an 
idea  now  and  then  —  Willis  has  one  every  week." 

"  So  long  as  your  ideas  are  about  myself,  I  have  no 
reason  to  object  to  them,"  said  Mrs.  Becker,  smiling. 

"  We  have  always  been  dutiful  sons,  have  we  not, 
mother  ?  "  inquired  Fritz. 

"  Yes,  always." 

"  You  are  well  pleased  with  us  then  ?  " 

"  Yes,  surely." 

"  We  have  never  caused  you  any  uneasiness,  have  we?" 
inquired  Jack. 

"  That  is  to  say,  inadvertently,"  added  Fritz  ;  "  design- 
edly is  out  of  the  question." 

"  No,  not  even  inadvertently,"  replied  their  mother. 

"  Were  you  very  sorry  when  Frank  and  Ernest  were 
going  to  leave  us  ?  " 

"  Yes,  my  children,  the  tears  still  burn  my  cheek." 

"  Nevertheless,  you  knew  that  it  was  for  the  common 
welfare,  and  you  felt  resigned  to  the  separation." 

"  But  why  do  you  ask  such  a  question  now  ?  " 

"  Well,  a  propos  de  rien,  mother,"  replied  Jack,  "  simply 
because  we  love  you,  and,  like  misers,  we  treasure  your 
love." 

Towards  the  afternoon  both  families  were  again  assem- 


WILLIS    THE    PILOT.  219 

bled  under  the  trees  at  Falcon's  Nest.  This  time  it  was 
dinner  that  brought  them  together ;  the  repast  consisted 
of  cold  meats  of  various  kinds,  but  the  chief  dish  was  a 
wonderful  snlad,  the  rich,  fresh  odor  of  which  perfumed 
the  air.  Wolston,  Frank,  and  Ernest  kept  up  a  lively 
conversation,  yet,  though  all  seemed  happy  and  pleased, 
there  were  bursting  hearts  at  the  table  that  day." 

"  I  am  going  to  take  a  turn  in  the  pinnace  to-morrow," 
said  Willis,  quietly ;  "  who  will  go  with  me  ?  " 

"  I  will ! "  cried  all  the  four  brothers. 

"  I  shall  require  you,  Frank  and  Ernest,  to  take  a  look 
at  the  rice  plantation  to-morrow,"  said  Becker,  "  so  I  wish 
you  to  put  off  the  excursion  till  another  time." 

"  "We  are  at  your  orders,  father,"  replied  the  two  young 
men. 

"Where  are  you  going,  Willis?"  inquired  Mrs.  Wolston. 

"Well,  I  am  anxious  to  discover  whether  we  inhabit  an 
island  or  a  continent,  and  may,  consequently,  extend  the 
survey  beyond  the  points  already  known ;  so  you  must 
not  be  disappointed  should  we  not  return  the  same  night." 

"  But  what  is  the  good  of  such  an  expedition?"  inquired 
Mrs.  Becker. 

"The  country  may  be  inhabited,  or  there  may  be 
inhabited  islands  in  the  vicinity,"  replied  Willis. 

"  If  there  be  natives  anywhere  near,"  said  Mrs.  Becker, 
"  they  have  left  us  at  peace  hitherto,  and,  in  my  opinion, 
since  the  dog  sleeps,  it  will  be  prudent  for  us  to  let  it  lie." 

"  It  is  not  a  question  of  creating  any  inconvenience," 
suggested  Becker,  "  but  only  to  ascertain  more  accurately 
our  geographical  position :  such  a  knowledge  can  do  us  no 
possible  harm,  but,  some  day,  it  may  be  of  immense 
service  to  us." 

"  What  if  you  shauld  fall  in  with  a  ship  ? "  inquired 
Mrs.  Wolston. 

"  In  that  case  we  shall  give  your  compliments  to  the 
commander,"  replied  Jack. 

"  You  may  do  that  if  you  like,  but  try  and  bring  it 
back  with  you  if  you  can." 

"  Do  you  wish  to  leave  us  ?  " 

"I   do   not  mean  that,"  hastily  added  Mrs.  Wolston, 


220  WILLIS    THE    PILOT. 

"  but  I  am  beginning  to  get  anxious  about  my  son,  poor 
fellow.  If  the  Nelson  has  not  arrived  at  the  Cape,  then 
he  will  suppose  we  are  all  drowned,  and  I  should  like  to 
fall  in  with  some  means  of  assuring  him  of  our  safety." 

"  Oh  yes,"  cried  the  two  girls,  "  do  try  and  fall  in  with 
a  ship ;  our  poor  brother  will  be  so  wretched." 

"  You  might  say  our  brother  as  well,"  added  the  two 
young  men. 

Here  the  two  mothers  interchanged  a  glance  of  intelli- 
gence, which  might  mean  very  little,  but  which  likewise 
might  signify  a  great  deal. 

A  moment  of  intense  anxiety  had  now  arrived  for 
Becker  and  his  two  sons ;  they  could  scarcely  refrain  from 
shedding  tears,  but  they  felt  that  the  slightest  imprudence 
of  that  nature  would  divulge  everything. 

"  (Dome  now,  my  lads,  look  alive,"  cried  Willis,  in  a 
voice  which  he  meant  to  be  gruff;  "  if  you  intend  to  take 
a  few  hours'  repose  before  we  start  in  the  morning,  it  is 
time  to  be  off." 

Fritz  and  Jack,  had  it  been  to  save  their  lives,  could 
not  now  have  helped  throwing  more  than  usual  energy 
into  their  parting  embraces  that  particular  afternoon ;  but 
they  passed  through  the  ordeal  with  tolerable  firmness, 
and  then  with  heavy  hearts  turned  towards  the  door. 

"I  think  I  will  walk  with  you  as  far  as  Rockhouse,'r 
said  Becker. 

All  four  then  departed ;  and  when  the  party  were  about 
fifty  yards  from  Falcon's  Nest,  Fritz  and  Jack  turned 
round  and  waved  a  final  adieu  to  those  loved  beings 
whom  probably,  they  might  never  see  again. 

"  It  is  well,"  said  Becker.  "  I  am  satisfied  witk  your 
conduct  throughout  this  trying  interval." 

It  was  now  an  hour  when  there  is  something  inde- 
scribably sombre  about  the  country ;  day  was  declining, 
the  outlines  of  the  larger  objects  in  the  landscape  were 
becoming  less  distinct,  and  the  trees  were  assuming  any 
sort  of  fantastical  shape  that  the  mind  chose  to  assign  to 
them.  Here  and  there  a  bird  rustled  in  the  foliage,  but 
otherwise  the  silence  was  only  broken  by  footsteps  of  the 
four  men. 


WILLIS    THE    PILOT.  221 

In  ordinary  life  children  quit  the  parental  home  by  easy 
and  almost  imperceptible  gradations.  First,  there  is  the 
school,  then  college ;  next,  perhaps,  the  requirements  of 
the  profession  they  have  adopted.  Thus  they  readily 
abandon  the  domestic  hearth;  friends,  intercourse,  and 
society  divide  their  affection,  and  the  separation  from 
home  rarely,  if  ever,  costs  'them  a  pang.  Not  so  with 
Becker's  two  sons  ;  their  world  was  New  Switzerland ; 
•  therefore,  like  the  rays  of  the  sun  absorbed  by  the  mirror 
of  Archimedes,  all  their  affections  were  concentrated  on 
one  point. 

On  the  former  occasion  when  the  family  ties  were  on 
the  eve  of  being  rent  asunder,  the  case  was  very  different. 
It  is  true,  Frank  and  Ernest  were  about  to  leave  for  an 
indefinite  period  of  time ;  but  then,  every  comfort  that  the 
most  fastidious  voyager  could  desire  was  awaiting  them  on 
board  the  Nelson  ;  for  a  well-appointed  ship  is  like  a  well- 
appointed  inn  on  shore,  all  your  wants  are  ministered  to 
with  the  utmost  celerity.  Besides,  Captain  Littlestone 
had  taken  the  young  men  under  his  special  protection,  and 
had  promised  to  see  them  properly  introduced  and  cared 
for  in  Europe.  How  dissimilar  was  the  position  of  Fritz 
and  his  brother ;  they  were  about  to  tumble  into  .lhe  old 
world  should  they  be  so  fortunate  as  to  reach  it,  much 
as  if  they  had  dropped  from  the  skies,  without  a  guide  and 
without  a  friend.  They  were  about  to  entrust  themselves 
to  the  ocean,  separated  from  its  treacherous  floods  by  a 
few  wretched  planks ;  to  be  exposed  for  months,  almost 
unsheltered,  to  wind,  rain,  and  the  mercy  of  pitiless  storms. 

"  If  God  in  His  mercy  preserves  you,  my  sons,"  said 
Becker,  breaking  at  last  the  silence,  "  you  will  find  your- 
selves launched  in  an  ocean  still  more  turbulent  than  that 
you  have  escaped  —  an  ocean  where  falsehood  and  cunning 
assume  the  names  of  policy  and  tact ;  where  results  always 
justify  the  means,  whatever  these  may  be  r  where  every- 
thing is  sacrificed  to  personal  interest  and  ambition  ;  where 
fortune  is  honored  as  a  virtue  that  dispenses  with  all 
others,  and  where  profligacies  of  the  most  odious  kinds  are 
decorated  with  gay  and  seductive  colors.  It  is  difficult 

.  i  1    •     i 

for  me  to  foresee  the  various  circumstances  amidst  which 
19* 


222  WILLI3    THE   PILOT. 

you  may  be  placed ;  but  there  are  certain  rules  of  conduct 
that  provide  for  nearly  every  emergency.  I  have  no 
need  to  urge  loyalty  or  courage  —  these  qualities  are 
inseparable  from  your  hearts.  Strive  only  for  what  is  just 
and  honest.  Submit  to  be  cheated  rather  than  be  cheats 
yourselves  ;  ill-gotten  gains  never  made  any  one  rich.  Put 
your  trust  in  Providence.  Seek  aid  from  on  high,  when 
you  find  yourselves  surrounded  with  difficulties.  Never 
forget  that  there  is  no  corner  on  the  earth's  surface,  how- 
ever obscure,  that  the  eyes  of  the  Lord  are  not  there  to 
behold  your  actions.  Act  promptly  and  with  energy. 
Bear  in  mind  that  every  moment  lost  will  be  to  your 
mother  an  age  of  suffering,  and  that  her  life  is  suspended 
on  the  fragile  thread  of  your  return." 

The  party  had  now  reached  the  banks  of  the  Jackal 
River,  where  the  pinnace  was  moored.  Fritz  and  Jack 
were  shedding  tears  unrestrainedly,  and  had  dropped  on 
their  knees  at  their  father's  feet. 

"  I  call,"  said  Becker,  in  a  trembling  voice,  "  the  bene- 
diction of  Heaven  upon  your  heads,  my  sons." 

"  Oh,  but  they  must  not  go  !  "  cried  Mrs.  Becker,  rush- 
ing out  from  behind  some  tall  brushwood  that  hid  her 
from  their  view  ;  "  they  shall  not  go  !  " 

Fritz  and  Jack  were  instantly  inclosed  within  their 
mother's  arms. 

"  Ah ! "  cried  she,  pushing  aside  the  hair  from  their 
brows,  the  better  to  observe  their  features,  "  you  thought 
to  deceive  your  mother,  did  you  ?  " 

"  Pardon  !  "  exclaimed  both  the  young  men. 

Here  Becker  thought  it  necessary  to  interfere ;  and, 
summoning  all  the  courage  he  could  muster  to  the  task, 
said  — 

"  Why  should  they  not  go  ?  Is  this  the  first  expedition 
they  have  undertaken  ?  " 

"  No,  it  is  not  the  first  expedition  they  have  under- 
taken, but  it  is  the  first  time  their  eyes  and  their  looks 
betokened  an  eternal  adieu.  It  is  the  first  time  that  I  felt 
they  were  forsaking  me  for  ever,  and  it  is  the  first  time 
you  ever  addressed  them  with  the  words  you  just  now 
uttered." 


WILLIS   THE    PILOT. 

Becker  saw  that  it  was  useless  to  attempt  to  carry 
deceit  any  further  ;  he  therefore  withdrew  his  eyes  from 
the  piercing  glance  of  his  wife.  Willis,  caught  in  the 
act,  as  it  were,  was  completely  thrown  off  his  guard,  and 
had  not  a  word  to  say  for  himself.  Fritz  and  Jack  had 
again  fallen  on  their  knees,  this  time  at  the  feet  of  their 
mother. 

"  Ah  !  I  begin  to  understand,"  she  screamed,  as  she 
glanced  around  on  the  scared  group  that  surrounded  her, 
like  a  wounded  lioness  whose  cubs  were  being  earned  off; 
"  now  the  bandage  begins  to  drop  from  my  eyes.  A 
thousand  inexplicable  things  dart  into  my  mind.  You  are 
sending  the  boys  on  an  impracticable  voyage  to  secure  the 
safety  of  their  mother ;  but  you  did  not  think  that  in  order 
to  prolong  my  existence  for  a  few  years,  you  would  kill 
me  instantly  with  grief!  What  right  have  you  to  impose 
a. remedy  upon  me  that  is  a  thousand  times  worse  than  the 
malady  ?  Have  I  ever  complained  ?  May  my  sufferings 
not  be  agreeable  to  me  ?  May  I  not  like  them  ?  Is  pain 
and  suffering  not  our  lot  from  the  cradle  to  the  tomb? 
But  I  am  not  ill,  I  was  never  better  in  my  life  than  I  am 
at  this  moment." 

Here  she  was  seized  with  a  paroxysm  of  nervous 
tremors  that  convulsed  her  frame  most  fearfully,  and  com- 
pletely belied  her  words.  Becker  rushed  forward  and 
held  her  firmly  in  his  arms. 

"  God  give  me  strength ! "  he  murmured.  "  Go,  my 
children,  where  your  duty  calls  you ;  go,  my  friend,  do 
not  prolong  this  terrible  scene  an  instant  longer." 

Not  another  word  was  spoken,  the  pinnace  was  un- 
moored; Fritz,  Jack,  and  Willis  embarked.  When  at 
some  little  distance  from  the  shore,  there  was  just  light 
enough  for  Fritz  to  notice  that  his  father  was  directing  the 
feeble  steps  of  his  mother  in  the  direction  of  Falcon's 
Nest.  In  a  few  moments  more  all  the  objects  on  shore 
were  one  confused  mass  of  unfathomable  shadow.  The 
pinnace  dropped  anchor  at  Shark's  Island,  where  some  few 
final  preparations  for  the  voyage  had  to  be  made.  Fritz 
here  took  a  pen  and  wrote : 


224  WILLIS   THE   PILOT. 

"  We  part.  We  are  gone.  When  you  read  this  letter, 
the  sea,  for  some  distance,  will  extend  between  us.  We 
shall  live  and  move  elsewhere,  but  our  hearts  are  still  with 
you.  We  wish  that  Ernest  and  Frank  would  erect  a  flag- 
staff on  the  spot  where  we  last  parted  with  our  parents. 
It  may  be  to  us  what  the  celestial  standard  bearing  the 
scroll,  in  hoc  signo  vinces  was  to  the  Emperor  Constantine. 
The  place  is  already  sacred,  and  may  be  hallowed  by  your 
prayers  for  us.  Our  confidence  in  the  divine  mercy  is 
boundless.  Do  not  despair  of  seeing  us  again.  We  have 
no  misgivings,  not  one  of  us  but  anticipates  confidently 
the  period  when  we  shall  return  and  bring  with  us  health, 
happiness,  and  prosperity  to  you  all. 

"  Let  me  add  a  word,"  said  Jack. 

"  The  sea  is  calm,  our  hearts  are  firm,  our  enterprise  is 
under  the  protection  of  Heaven  —  there  never  was  an 
undertaking  commenced  under  more  favorable  auspices. 
Farewell  then,  once  more,  farewell.  All  our  aspirations 
are  for  you. 

"  FRITZ. 

"  JACK. 

"P.S.  —  Willis  was  going  to  write  a  line  or  two  when, 
lo  and  behold !  a  big  tear  rolled  upon  the  paper.  '  Ha  ! ' 
said  he,  '  that  is  enough,  I  will  not  write  a  word,  they 
will  understand  that,  I  think,'  and  he  threw  down  the  pen." 

"  How  is  the  letter  to  be  sent  on  shore  ? "  inquired 
Fritz. 

"  There  is  a  cage  of  pigeons  on  board  the  pinnace/' 
replied  Jack,  "but  I  do  not  want  them  to  know  that,  for, 
if  they  should  expect  to  hear  from  us,  and  some  accident 
happen  to  the  pigeons,  they  might  be  dreadfully  dis- 
appointed." 

"  We  can  return  on  shore,"  observed  Willis,  "  and  place 
it  on  the  spot,  where  we  embarked;  they  are  sure  to  be 
there  to-morrow." 

This  suggestion  was  incontinently  adopted.  The  letter 
was  attached  to  a  small  cross,  and  fixed  in  the  ground. 
The  voyagers  had  all  re-embarked  in  the  pinnace,  which 


WILLIS   THE   PILOT.  225 

was  destined  to  bear  even  more  than  Caesar  and  his 
fortunes.  Willis  had  already  loosened  the  warp,  when  a 
thought  crossed  the  mind  of  Fritz. 

"  I  must  revisit  Falcon's  Nest  once  more,"  said  he. 

"  What !  "  cried  Willis,  "  you  are  not  going  to  get  up 
such  another  scene  as  we  witnessed  an  hour  or  two  ago?" 

"  No,  Willis,  I  mean  to  go  by  stealth  like  the  Indian 
trapper,  so  as  to  be  seen  by  no  mortal  eye.  I  wish  to  take 
one  more  look  at  the  old  familiar  trees,  and  endeavor  to 
ascertain  whether  my  mother  has  reached  home  in  safety." 

"  But  the  dogs?  "  objected  Willis. 

"  The  dogs  know  me  too  well  to  give  the  slightest  alarm 
at  my  approach.  I  shall  not  be  long  gone  ;  but  really  I 
must  go,  the  desire  is  too  powerful  within  me  to  be  resisted." 

"  I  will  go  with  you,"  said  Jack. 

Here  Willis  fhook  his  head  and  reflected  an  instant. 

"  You  are  not  angry  with  us,  WHlis,  are  you  ?  " 

"  Not  at  all,"  he  replied,  "  and  I  think  the  best  thing  I 
can  do,  under  the  circumstances,  is  to  go  too." 

"  Very  well,  make  fast  that  warp  again,  and  come  along." 

The  party  then  disappeared  amongst  the  brushwood. 

"  Some  time  ago,"  remarked  Fritz,  "  we  followed  this 
track  about  the  same  hour ;  there  was  danger  to  be  appre- 
hended, but  the  enterprise  was  bloodless,  though  successful." 

"  You  mean  the  chimpanzee  affair,"  said  Willis. 

"Yes;  this  time  we  have  only  an  emotion  to  conquer, 
but  I  am  afraid  it  is  too  strong  for  us." 

"  These  are  the  trees,"  said  Jack,  as  they  debouched 
upon  the  road,  "  that  I  stuck  my  proclamations  upon.  We 
had  very  little  to  think  of  in  those  days." 

As  the  party  drew  near  Falcon's  Nest,  the  dogs 
approached  and  welcomed  them  with  the  usual  canine 
demonstrations  of  joy. 

"  I  have  half  a  mind  to  carry  off  Toby,"  said  Fritz  ;  "  but 
I  fear  Mary  would  miss  him." 

Externally  all  appeared  tranquil  at  Falcon's  Nest;  this 
satisfied  the  young  men  that  their  mother  had  succeeded 
in  reaching  home,  at  least,  in  safety ;  a  light  streaming 
through  the  window  of  Becker's  dwelling,  however,  showed 
that  the  family  had  not  yet  retired  for  the  night. 


226  WILLIS   THE   PILOT. 

"  If  they  only  knew  we  were  so  near  them ! "  remarked 
Jack. 

The  entire  party  then  sat  down  upon  a  rustic  bench, 
shrouded  with  flowering  orchis  and  Spanish  jasmine. 

"  How  often,  on  returning  from  the  fields  or  the  chase, 
we  have  seen  our  mother  at  work  on  this  very  seat,"  ob- 
served Fritz.  . 

"  Aye,"  added  Jack  ;  "  once  I  observed  she  had  fallen 
asleep  whilst  knitting  stockings.  I  advanced  on  tip-toe,  re- 
moved gently  her  knitting  apparatus,  stockings,  and  all, 
and  placed  on  her  lap  some  ortolans  that  I  had  caught  and 
strangled ;  but  I  first  plucked  one  of  them,  and  scattered 
the  feathers  all  about,  and  then  retreated  into  a  thicket  to 
watch  the  denouement  of  my  scheme.  She  awoke,  put 
down  her  hand  to  take  up  a  stocking,  and  laid  hold  of  a 
bird.  She  stared,  rubbed  her  eyes,  stared  again,  looked 
about,  and  could  find  nothing  but  the  ortolan  feathers.  I 
then  ran  forward  and  embraced  her,  looking  as  if  I  had 
just  come  from  unearthing  turnips.  'Well,  I  declare,' 
she  said  with  a  bewildered  air,  'I  could  have  sworn  that 
I  was  knitting  just  now,  and  here  I  find  myself  plucking 
ortolans ;  and  what  is  more,  I  have  not  the  slightest  idea 
where,  in  all  the  world,  the  birds  have  come  from!'  Of 
course,  I  looked  as  innocent  as  possible  ;  so  that  the  more 
she  stared  and  reflected,  the  less  she  could  make  the  mat- 
ter out.  At  last,  she  went  on  plucking  the  birds,  and 
when  this  was  done  she  stuck  them  on  the  spit.  When 
the  ortolans  were  roasted  and  ready  to  be  served  up,  I 
went  into  the  kitchen,  carried,  them  off,  and  put  my  mo- 
ther's knitting  apparatus  on  the  spit.  Imagine  her  sur- 
prise when  she  beheld  her  worsted  and  stockings  at  the 
fire,  knowing,  at  the  same  time,  that  four  hungry  stomachs 
were  waiting  for  their  dinners  !  At  last,  fearing  that  she 
was  going  to  ascribe  the  metamorphosis  to  some  halluci- 
nation of  her  own,  I  went  up  to  her,  threw  my  arms 
round  her  neck,  told  her  the  whole  story,  and  we  both  of 
us  enjoyed  a  hearty  laugh  over  it." 

"  Aye,  Jack,  those  were  laughing  tunes,"  said  Fritz, 
sadly. 

"Not  only  that,  but   our  mother  was  always  so  even- 


+  WILLIS   THE   PILOT.  227 

tempered ;  she  was  never  ruffled  in  the  slightest  degree 
by  my  nonsense ;  though  she  often  had  the  right  to  be 
very  angry,  yet  she  never  once  took  offence.  On  another 
occasion,  Mary  and  Sophia  Wolston  were  working  here  at 
those  mysterious  embroideries  which  they  always  hid 
when  we  came  near." 

"  Toby's  collar,  I  suppose,"  remarked  Fritz. 

"  My  tobacco  pouch,"  suggested  Willis. 

"I  approached,"  continued  Ja-<M  "with  the  muffled 
softness  of  a  cat,  and  was  just  on  the  point  of  discovering 
their  secret,  when  my  monkey,  Knips,  who  was  cracking 
nuts  at  their  feet,  made  a  spring,  and  drew  a  bobbin  of 
silk  after  it ;  this  caused  them  to  look  round,  and  great 
was  my  astonishment  to  find  myself  caught  at  the  very 
moment  I  expected  to  surprise  them.  They  commenced 
scolding  me  at  an  immense  rate,  but  then  it  was  so  de- 
lightful to  be  scolded!" 

"Aye,"  murmured  Fritz,  "that  is  all  over  now." 

Like  a  file  of  sheep,  one  recollection  dragged  another 
after  it,  so  that  the  whole  of  the  past  recurred  to  their 
memories.  Some  faint  streaks  of  light  now  warned  them 
that  day  was  about  to  break ;  the  cocks  began  to  crow  one 
after  the  other,  and  to  fill  the  air  with  their  shrill  voices. 

"  Now,"  said  Willis,  "  it  is  high  time  to  be  off." 

Jack  hastily  gathered  two  bouquets  of  flowers,  which  he 
suspended  to  the  lintel  of  each  dwelling. 

"  These,"  said  he,  "  will  show  them  that  we  have  paid 
them  another  visit." 

They  then  bent  down  all  three  on  their  knees,  uttered 
a  short  prayer,  and  afterwards  disappeared  amidst  the 
shadows  of  the  chestnut  trees. 

"  Listen  !"  said  Willis,  seeing  that  his  companions  were 
about  to  make  a  halt,  "  if  you  stop  again,  or  speak  of  re- 
turning any  more,  I  will  cease  to  regard  you  as  men." 

Half  an  hour  afterwards,  on  the  morning  of  the  8th 
March,  1812,  the  pinnace  bore  out  to  sea,  and  when  day 
broke,  the  crew  could  not  descry  a  single  traee  of  New 
Switzerland  on  any  point  of  the  horizon. 


CHAPTER  XIX. 

EIGHTEEN   HUNDRED    AND     TWELVE THE     MART COUNT    UGO- 

LINO THE    SOURCES    OF    RIVERS THE    ALPS    DEMOLISHED 

NO    MORE     PYRENEES THE     FIRST     SHIP ADMIRAL    NOAH 

FLEETS     OF     THE     ISRAELITES THE     COMPASS PRINTING 

GUNPOWDER ACTIUM     AND     8ALAMIS DIDO    AND    TINEAS 

STEAM DON  GARAT  AND  ROGER  BACON MELCHTHAL,  FURST, 

AND    WILLIAM    TKLL GOING    A-PLEASURING UPSET    VERSUS 

BLOWN     UP A     DEAD     CALM THE     LOG WILLIS'S     ARCHI- 
PELAGO   THE    ISLAND    OF    SOPHIA THE    BREAD    FRUIT-TREE 

NATIVES     OF     POLYNESIA  STRIPED     TROWSERS  ABDUC- 
TION   OF     WILLIS IS     HE     TO     BE     ROASTED     OR     BOILED? 

WHEN    THE    WINE    IS    POURED    OUT,    WE    MUST    DRINK   IT. 

AT  the  date  of  the  events  narrated  in  the  proceeding 
chapter,  comparatively  little  was  known  of  Oceania,  that 
is,  of  the  islands  and  continents  that  are  scattered  about 
the  Pacific  Ocean.  Most  of  them  had  been  discovered, 
named,  and  marked  correctly  enough  in  the  charts,  but 
beyond  this  all  was  supposition,  hypothesis,  and  mystery. 
The  mighty  empire  of  England  in  the  east  was  then  only 
in  its  infancy,  Sutteeism  and  Thuggism  were  still  ram- 
pant on  the  banks  of  the  Ganges,  but  the  power  of  the  de- 
scendants of  the  Great  Mogul  was  on  the  wane.  Califor- 
nia was  only  known  as  the  hunting-ground  of  a  savage 
race  of  wild  Indians.  The  now  rich  and  nourishing  colo- 
nies of  Australia  were  represented  by  the  convict  settle- 
ment of  Sydney.  The  Dutch  had  asserted  that  the  terri- 
tory of  New  Holland  was  utterly  uninhabitable,  and  this 
was  still  the  belief  of  the  civilized  world;  nor  was  it  with- 
out considerable  opposition  on  the  part  of  soi-disant  phi- 
lanthropists that  the  English  government  succeeded  in  es- 
tablishing a  prison  depot  on  what  at  the  time  was  consid- 
ered the  sole  spot  in  that  vast  territory  susceptible  of  cul- 
tivation. At  the  present  time,  these  formerly-despised 


WILLIS   THE   PILOT.  229 

regions  send  one  hundred  tons  of  pure  gold  to  England. 
The  political  state  of  Europe  itself  had  at  this  time  as- 
sumed a  singular  aspect.  Napoleon  had  made  himself 
master  of  nearly  all  the  continental  states ;  Spain,  Portu- 
gal, Belgium,  Holland,  and  a  part  of  Germany  were  at 
his  feet;  and,  by  the  Peace  of  Tilsit,  he  had  secured  the 
cooperation  of  Alexander,  Emperor  of  Russia,  in  his 
schemes  to  ruin  the  trade  and  commerce  of  Great  Britain. 
England,  by  her'opportune  seizure  of  the  Danish  fleet, 
broke  up  the  first  great  northern  confederacy  that  was 
formed  against  her.  This  act,  though  much  impugned  by 
the  politicians  of  the  day,  is  now  known  not  only  to  have 
been  perfectly  justifiable,  but  also  highly  creditable  to  the 
political  foresight  of  Canning  and  Castlereagh,  by  whom  it 
was  suggested,  to  say  nothing  of  the  daring  and  boldness 
that  Nelson  displayed  in  executing  the  manoeuvre.  When 
new?  of  this  event  reached  the  Russian  Emperor  it  threw 
him  into  a  paroxysm  of  rage,  and  he  declared  war  against 
England  in  violent  language.  He  had  the  insolence  to 
make  peace  with  France  the  sina  qua  non  of  his  friend- 
ship. At  the  distance  of  nearly  half  a  century,  the  actual 
language  employed  has  a  peculiar  flavor.  The  emperor, 
after  detailing  his  grievances,  declares  that  henceforth 
there  shall  be  no  connection  between  the  two  countries, 
and  calls  on  his  Britannic  Majesty  to  dismiss  his  ministers, 
and  conclude  a  peace  forthwith.  The  British  Govern- 
ment replied  to  this  by  ordering  Nelson  to  set  sail  forth- 
with for  the  mouth  of  the  Neva.  A  bitter  and  scorching 
manifesto  was  at  the  time  forwarded  to  the  emperor.  It 
accused  him  flatly  of  duplicity,  and  boldly  defied  him  and 
all  his  legions.  The  whole  document  is  well  worthy  of 
perusal  in  these  lackadaisical  times.  It  is  dated  YvTest- 
minister,  December  18,  1807.  It  sets  forth  anew  the 
principles  of  maritime  war,  which  England  had  then  rig- 
idly in  force.  Napoleon  had  declared  the  whole  of  the 
British  Islands  in  a  state  of  blockade.  The  British  Gov- 
ernment replied  by  blockading  de  facto  the  whole  of  Eu- 
rope. This  was  done  by  those  celebrated  orders  in  coun- 
cil, which,  more  than  anything  else,  precipitated  the  down- 
fall of  Napoleon.  They  threw  the  trade  of  the  world  into 
20 


230  YTILLIS    THE    PILOT. 

fhe  hands  of  England.  Of  course,  Russia  was  deeply  af- 
fected, so  was  Spain  and  all  the  other  maritime  states; 
and  they  were  all,  one  way  or  another,  in  open  hostility 
with  this  country.  But  England  laughed  all  their  threats 
to  scorn ;  and  in  the  whole  history  of  the  country,  there 
was  not  a  more  brilliant  period  in  her  eventful  history. 
She  stood  alone  against  the  world  in  arms.  Even  the 
blusterings  of  the  United  States  were  unheeded,  and  in  no 
degree  disturbed  her  stern  equanimity.  She  saw  the  road 
to  victory,  and  resolved  to  pursue  it.  But  England  then 
had  great  statesmen,  and,  of  them  all,  Lord  Castlereagh 
was  the  greatest,  although  he  served  a  Prince  Regent  who 
cared  no  more  for  England  or  the  English  people,  than 
the  Irish  member,  who,  when  reproached  for  selling  his 
country,  thanked  God  that  he  had  a  country  to  sell. 

At  length  the  ill-will  of  the  Americans  resolved  itself 
into  open  warfare,  and  the  United  States  was  numbered 
with  the  overt  enemies  of  England.  This  resulted  in 
British  troops  marching  up  to  Washington  and  burning  the 
Capitol,  or  Congress  House,  about  the  ears  of  the  members 
who  had  stirred  up  the  strife.  Meanwhile,  all  the  islands 
of  France  in  the  east  and  west  had  been  taken  possession 
of;  the  British  flag  waved  on  the  Spanish  island  of  Cuba, 
and  in  the  no  less  valuable  possessions  of  Holland,  in  Java. 
Everywhere  on  the  ocean  England  held  undisputed  sway. 
This  state  of  things  gave  rise  to  one  great  evil  —  the  sea 
swarmed  with  cruisers  and  privateers,  English,  French, 
and  American  ;  so  that  no  vessel,  unless  sailing  under  con- 
voy, heavily  armed,  or  a  very  swift  sailer,  but  ran  risk  of 
capture. 

The  Mary — for  so  Fritz  now  called  the  pinnace  —  had 
been  ten  days  at  sea,  the  wind  had  died  away,  and  for 
some  time  scarcely  a  zephyr  had  ruffled  the  surface  of  the 
water,  the  sails  were  lazily  flapping  against  the  mast,  and 
but  for  the  currents,  the  voyagers  would  have  been  almost 
stationary.  It  may  readily  be  supposed  that,  under  such 
circumstances,  their  progress  was  somewhat  slow,  and,  as 
Jack  observed,  to  judge  from  their  actual  rate  of  sailing, 
they  ought  to  have  started  when  very  young,  in  order  to 
arrive  at  the  termination  of  the  voyage  before  they  became 
bald-headed  old  men. 


WILLIS    THE    PILOT.  231 

They  prayed  for  a  breeze,  a  gale,  or  even  a  storm  ;  their 
fresh  water  was  beginning  to  get  sour,  and  they  reflected 
that,  if  the  calm  continued  any  length  of  time,  their  pro- 
visions would  eventually  run  short,  and  the  ordinary 
resource  of  eating  o'ne  another  wftuld  stare  them  in  the 
face.  Jack,  being  the  youngest,  would  probably  disappear 
first,  next  Fritz,  then  Willis  would  be  left  to  eat  himself, 
in  order  to  avoid  dying  of  hunger,  just  as  the  unfortunate 
Count  Ugolino  devoured  his  own  children  to  save  them 
from  orphanage. 

As  yet,  however,  there  were  no  symptoms  of  such  a 
dire  disaster;  they  were  in  excellent  health  and  tolerable 
spirits;  they  had  provisions  enough  to  last  them  for  six 
month-  at  least,  and  consequently  had  not  as  yet,  at  all 
events,  the  slightest  occasion  to  manifest  a  tendency  to 
anthropophagism. 

".I  can  understand  the  sea,"  remarked  Jack,  "as  I 
understand  the  land  and  the  sky;  God  created  them,  that 
is  enough ;  but  I  cannot  understand  how  a  mighty  river 
like  the  Nile  or  the  Ganges  can  continue  eternally  dis- 
charging immense  deluges  of  water  into  the  sea  without 
becoming  exhausted.  From  what  fathomless  reservoirs 
do  the  Amazon  and  the  Mississippi  receive  their  endless 
torrents  ?  " 

"  The  reservoirs  of  the  greatest  rivers,"  replied  Fritz, 
"  are  nothing  more  than  drops  of  water  that  fall  from  the 
crevice  of  some  rock  on  or  near  the  summit  of  a  hill;  these 
are  collected  together  in  a  pool  or  hollow,  from  which  they 
issue  in  the  form  of  a  slender  rivulet.  At  first,  the 
smallest  pebble  is  sufficient  to  arrest  the  course  of  this 
thread  of  water ;  but  it  turns  upon  itself,  gathers  strength, 
finally  surmounts  the  obstacle,  dashes  over  it,  unites  itself 
with  other  rivulets,  reaches  the  plain,  scoops  out  a  bed, 
and  goes  on,  as  you  say,  for  ever  emptying  its  waters  into 
the  sea." 

"  Yes ;  but  it  is  the  source  of  these  sources  that  I  want 
to  know  the  origin  of.  You  speak  of  hills,  whilst  we  know 
that  water  naturally,  by  reason  of  its  weight  and  fluidity,, 
seeks  to  secrete  itself  in  the  lowest  beds  of  the  earth." 

"  It  is  scarcely  necessary  for  me  to  observe  that  water 


232  WILLIS    THE    PILOT. 

may  come  down  a  hill,  although  it  never  goes  up.  Rain, 
snow,  dew,  and  generally  all  the  vapors  that  fall  from 
the  atmosphere,  furnish  the  enormous  masses  of  water  that 
are  constantly  flowing  into  the  sea.  The  vapor  alone  that 
is  absorbed  in  the  air  from  the  sea  is  more  than  sufficient 
to  feed  all  the  rivers  on  the  face  of  the  earth.  Mountains, 
by  their  formation,  arrest  these  vapors,  collect  them  in  a 
hole  here  and  in  a  cavern  there,  and  permit  them  to  filter 
by  a  million  of  threads  from  rock  to  rock,  fertilizing  the 
land  and  nourishing  the  rivers  that  intersect  it.  If,  there- 
fore, you  were  to  suppress  the  Alps  that  rise  between 
France  and  Italy,  you  would,  at  the  same  time,  extinguish 
the  Rhone  and  the  Po." 

"  It  would  be  a  pity  to  do  that,"  said  Jack  ;  "  there  was 
a  time  though  when  there  were  no  Pyrenees." 

"  That  must  have  been,  then,  at  a  period  prior  to  the 
formation  of  granite,  which  is  esteemed  the  oldest  of  rocks." 

"  No  such  thing,"  insisted  Jack ;  "  it  was  so  late  as  1713, 
when,  by  the  peace  of  Utrecht,  the  crown  of  Spain  was 
secured  to  the  Duke  of  Anjou,  grandson  of  Louis  XIV." 

"  Howsomever,"  remarked  Willis,  "all  the  mariners  in 
the  French  fleet  could  not  convince  me  that  the  Pyrenean 
mountains  are  only  a  hundred  years  old." 

"  My  brother  is  only  speaking  metaphorically,"  said 
Fritz ;  "  when  the  crown  of  Spain  was  assigned  to  the 
Duke  of  Anjou,  his  grandfather  said —  Qu  il  rfy  avail  plus 
de  Pyrenees.  He  meant  by  that  simply,  that  France  and 
Spain  being  governed  by  the  same  prince,  the  moral  bar- 
rier between  them  existed  no  longer.  The  formidable  moun- 
tains still  stood  for  all  that,  and  he  who  removes  them 
would  certainly  be  possessed  of  extraordinary  power." 

"  I  am  always  putting  my  foot  in  it,"  said  Willis,  "  when 
the  yarn  is  about  the  land ;  let  us  talk  of  the  sea  for  a  bit. 
Who  built  the  first  ship  ?" 

"  Well,"  replied  Fritz,  "  I  should  say  that  the  first  ship 
was  the  ark." 

"  Whence  we  may  infer,"  added  Jack,  "  that  Noah  was 
the  first  admiral." 

"  We  learn  from  the  Scriptures,"  continued  Fritz,  "  that 
the  first  navigators  were  the  children  of  Noah,  and  it 


WILLIS    THE    PILOT.  233 

appears  from  profane  history  that  the  earliest  attempts  at 
navigation  were  manifested  near  where  the  ark  rested ; 
consequently,  we  may  fairly  presume  that  the  art  of  ship- 
building arose  from  the  traditions  of  the  deluge  and  the 
ark." 

"  In  that  case,  the  art  in  question  dates  very  far  back." 

"  Yes,  since  it  dates  from  2348  years  before  the  birth  of 
Christ;  but  the  human  race  degenerated,  the  traditions 
were  forgotten,  and  navigation  was  confined  to  planks, 
rafts,  bark  canoes,  or  the  trunk  of  a  tree  hollowed  out  by 
fire." 

"  That  is  the  sort  of  craft  used  by  the  inhabitants  of 
Polynesia  at  the  present  day,"  remarked  Willis. 

"  It  appears,  however,  by  the  Book  of  Job,  that  pirates 
existed  in  those  days,  and  that  they  went  to  sea  in  ships 
and  captured  merchantmen,  which  proves,  to  a  certain 
extent,  that  there  were  merchantmen  to  conquer.  We 
know  also  that  David  and  Solomon  equipped  large  fleets, 
and  even  fought  battles  on  sea." 

"  Whether  an  ancient  or  modern,  a  Jew  or  a  Gentile," 
said  Willis,  "  he  must  have  been  a  brave  fellow  who 
launched  the  first  ship,  and  risked  himself  and  his  goods 
at  sea  in  it." 

"  True,"  continued  Fritz  ;  "  but  when  once  the  equili- 
brium of  a  floating  body  was  known,  there  would  be  no 
longer  any  risk  ;  as  soon  as  it  came  to  be  understood  that 
any  solid  body  would  float  if  it  were  lighter  than  its  bulk 
of  water,  the  matter  was  simple  enough." 

"Very  good,"  interrupted  Jack  ;  "but  the  words  'when' 
and  'as  soon  as'  imply  a  great  deal ;  when,  or  as  soon  as, 
we  know  anything,  the  mystery  of  course  disappears.  But 
before  !  there  is  the  difficulty.  Particles  of  water  do  not 
cohere  —  how  is  it,  then,  that  a  ship  of  war,  that  often 
weighs  two  millions  of  pounds,  does  not  sink  through  them, 
and  go  to  the  bottom  ?  Individuals,  like  myself  for  exam- 
ple, who  are  not  members  of  a  learned  society,  may  be 
pardoned  for  not  knowing  how  water  bears  the  weight  of 
a  seventy-four." 

"  The  seventy-four  would,  most  undoubtedly,  sink  if  it 
20* 


234  WILLIS    THE    PILOT. 

were  heavier  than  the  weight  of  water  it  displaced ;  but 
this  is  not  the  case  ;  wood  is  generally  lighter  than  water." 

"  The  wood,  yes ;  but  the  cannon,  the  cargo,  and  the 
crew?" 

"  You  forget  the  cabooses,  the  cockpits,  and  the  cabins, 
that  do  not  weigh  anything.  Allowing  foreverything,  the 
weight  of  a  ship,  cargo  and  all,  is  much  lighter  than  its 
bulk  of  water,  and  consequently  it  cannot  sink." 

"  But  how  is  it,  then,  that  the  immense  bulk  of  a 
seventy-four  moves  so  easily  in  the  water  ?  One  would 
think  that  its  prodigious  weight  would  make  it  stick  fast, 
and  continue  immoveable." 

"  When  the  seventy-four  in  question  has  displaced  its 
weight  of  water,  its  own  weight  is  substituted  for  the 
water,  and  is  in  consequence  virtually  annihilated ;  it 
does  not,  in  point  of  fact,  weigh  anything  at  all,  and  there- 
fore is  easily  impelled  by  the  wind." 

"  When  there  is  any,  understood,"  added  Jack. 

"  And  a  yard  or  so  of  canvas."  suggested  Willis. 

"  True,"  continued  Fritz,  "  a  sail  or  two  would  be  very 
desirable ;  these  instruments  of  propulsion  do  not  appear, 
however,  to  have  been  used  by  the  ancients.  We  first 
hear  of  a  sail  being  employed  at  the  time  when  Isis  went 
in  search  of  her  husband  Osiris,  who  was  killed  by  his 
brother  Typhon,  and  whose  quarters  were  scattered  in  the 
Nile.  This  lady,  it  seems,  took  off  the  veil  that  covered 
her  head,  and  fastened  it  to  an  upright  shaft  stuck  in  the 
middle  of  the  boat,  and,  much  to  her  astonishment,  it 
impelled  her  onwards  at  a  marvellous  speed." 

"A  clever  young  woman  that,"  said  Willis;  "but  I 
doubt  whether  veils  would  answer  the  purpose  on  board  a 
seventy-four,  particularly  as  regards  the  mainsail  and 
mizentops." 

"  The  Phoenicians  were  the  most  enterprising  of  the 
early  navigators.  They  appeared  to  have  sailed  round 
Africa  without  a  compass,  for  they  embarked  on  the  Red 
Sea  and  reappeared  at  the  mouth  of  the  Nile,  and  the 
compass  was  not  invented  till  the  fourteenth  century." 

"  And  who  was  the  inventor  of  the  compass  ?  "  inquired 
Willis. 


WILLIS    THE    PILOT.  235 

"According  to  some  authorities,  it  was  invented  by  a 
Neapolitan  named  Jean  Goya;  according  to  others,*  the 
inventor  was  a  certain  II agues  de  Bercy." 

"Then,"  said  Jack,  "you  do  not  admit  the  claims  of 
the  Chinese  and  Hindoos,  who  assert  priority  in  the 
discovery  ?  " 

"  I  neither  deny  nor  admit  their  claims,  because  I  do 
not  know  the  grounds  upon  which  they  are  founded ;  like 
the  invention  of  gunpowder  and  printing,  the  discovery  of 
the  compass  has  many  rival  claimants." 

"I  am  of  opinion,"  said  Jack,  "that  Guttenberg  is  entitled 
to  the  honor  of  discovering  printing,  and  that  Berthold 
Schwartz  invented  gunpowder." 

"  Perhaps  you  are  right ;  but  there  is  scarcely  any 
invention  of  importance  that  has  not  two  or  three  names 
fastened  to  it  as  inventors  ;  they  stick  to  it  like  barnacles, 
and  there  is  no  way  to  shake  any  of  thejn  off.  So,  in  the 
case  of  illustrious  men,  nations  dispute  the  honor  of  giving 
them  birth  ;  there  are  six  or  seven  towns  in  Asia  Minor 
that  claim  to  be  the  birth-place  of  Homer.  National 
vanities  justly  desire  to  possess  the  largest  amount  of 
genius ;  hence,  no  sooner  does  anything  useful  make  its 
appearance  in  the  world,  than  half  a  dozen  nations  or 
individuals  start  up  to  claim  it  as  their  offspring.  The 
wisest  course,  under  such  circumstances,  is  to  side  with 
the  best  accredited  opinion,  which  I  have  done  in  the  case 
of  the  compass." 

"  It  was  no  joke,"  said*  Willis,  "  to  circumnavigate 
Africa  without  a  compass." 

"  You  are  quite  right,  Willis,  if  you  judge  the  naviga- 
tion of  those  days  by  the  modern  standard ;  but  it  is  to  be 
borne  in  mind  that  the  ancients  never  lost  sight  of  the 
coast.  They  steered  from  cape  to  promontory,  and  from 
promontory  to  cape,  dropping  their  anchor  every  night 
and  remaining  well  in-shore  till  morning.  If  by  accident 
they  were  driven  out  into  the  open  sea,  and  the  stars 
happened  to  be  hidden  by  fog  or  clouds,  they  were  lost 
beyond  recovery,  even  though  within  a  day's  sail  of  a 
harbor ;  because,  whilst  supposing  they  were  making  for 


236  WILLIS    THE    PILOT. 

the  coast,  they  might,  in  all  probability,  be  steering  in 
precisely  the  opposite  direction." 

"  It  is  certainly  marvellous,"  said  Jack,  "that  a  piece 
of  iron  stuck  upon  a  board  should  be  a  safe  and  sure  guide 
to  the  mariner  through  the  trackless  ocean,  even  when  the 
stars  are  enveloped  in  obscurity  and  darkness  !  " 

"It  is  a  symbol  of  faith,"  remarked  Willis,  "that 
supplies  the  doubts  and  incertitudes  of  reason." 

As  for  the  ships,  or  rather  galleys,  of  the  ancients," 
continued  Fritz,  '"  with  the  exception  of  the  ambitious 
fleets  of  the  Greeks  and  Romans  that  fought  at  Salamis 
and  Actitim,  one  of  the  modern  ships  of  war  could  sweep 
them  all  out  of  the  sea  with  its  rudder." 

Yes,"  said  Jack,  "  at  the  period  of  which  you  speak, 
the,  ancients  possessed  a  great  advantage  over  us.  The 
winds  in  those  days  were  personages,  and  were  very  well 
known ;  they  were  called  ^Eolus,  Boreas,  and  so  forth. 
They  were  to  be  found  in  caves  or  islands,  and,  if  treated 
with  civility,  were  remarkably  condescending.  Queen 
Dido,  through  one  of  these  potentates,  obtained  contrary 
winds,  to  prevent  ^Eneas  from  leaving  her." 

"  By  the  way,"  said  Willis,  "  there  is,  or  at  least  was,  in 
one  of  the  Scottish  rivers,  a  ship  without  either  oars  or 
sails." 

"  Yes,  very  likely ;  but  it  did  not  move." 

"  It  did  though,  and,  what  is  more,  against  both  wind 
and  tide." 

"  I  wish  we  had  your  wonderful  ship  here  just  now,  ii 
is  just  the  thing  to  suit  us  under  present  circumstances," 
said  Jack. 

"  So  it  would,  Master  Jack,  for  it  sails  against  currents, 
up  rivers,  and  the  crew  care  no  more  about  the  wind  than 
I  do  about  the  color  of  the  clouds  when  I  am  lighting  my 
pipe." 

"  You  don't  happen  to  mean  that  the  Flying  Dutchman 
has  appeared  on  the  Scotch  coast,  do  you,  Willis  ?  " 

"  Not  a  bit  of  it,  I  mean  just  exactly  what  I  say.  It  is 
a  real  ship,  with  a  real  stern  and  a  real  figure-head,  but 
manned  by  blacksmiths  instead  of  mariners." 


TVILLIS    THE    PILOT.  237 

"  Well,  but  how  does  it  move  ?  Does  somebody  go 
behind  and  push  it,  or  is  it  dragged  in  front  by  sea-horses 
and  water-kelpies  ?  " 

"  No,  it  moves  by  steam." 

"  But  how  ?  " 

"Aye,  there  lies  the  mystery.  The  affair  <  has  often 
been  discussed  by  us  sailors  on  board  ship ;  some  have 
suggested  one  way  and  some  another." 

"  Neither  of  which  throws  much  light  on  the  subject," 
observed  Jack ;  "  at  least,  in  so  far  as  we  are  concerned." 

"  All  I  can  tell  you,"  said  Willis,  "  is,  that  the  steam  is 
obtained  by  boiling  water  in  a  large  cauldron,  and  that 
the  power  so  obtained  is  very  powerful.'* 

"  That  it  certainly  is,  if  it  could  be  controlled,  for  steam 
occupies  seventeen  or  eighteen  hundred  times  the  space  of 
the  water  in  its  liquid  state ;  but  then,  if  the  vessel  that 
contains  the  boih'ng  water  has  no  outlet,  the  steam  will 
burst  it." 

u  It  appears  that  it  can  be  prevented  doing  that, 
though,"  replied  Willis,  "  even  though  additional  heat  be 
applied  to  the  vapor  itself." 

"  By  heating  the  steam,  the  vapor  may  acquire  a 
volume  forty  thousand  times  greater  than  that  of  the 
water ;  all  that  is  well  known  ;  but  as  soon  as  it  comes  in 
contact  with  the  air,  nothing  is  left  of  it  but  a  cloud, 
which  collapses  again  into  a  tew  drops  of  water." 

"  That  may  be  all  very  true,  Master  Fritz,  if  the 
steam  were  allowed  to  escape  into  the  air ;  but  it  is  only 
permitted  to  do  that  after  it  has  done  duty  on  board  ship. 
It  appears  that  steam  is  very  elastic,. and  may  be  com- 
pressed like  India-rubber,  but  has  a  tendency  to  resist  the 
pressure  and  set  itself  free.  Imagine,  for  example,  a 
headstrong  young  man,  for  a  long  time  kept  in  restraint 
by  parental  control,  suddenly  let  loose,  and  allowed  scope 
to  follow  the  bent  of  his  own  inclinations." 

"  Very  good,  Willis ;  for  argument's  sake,  let  us  take 
your  headstrong  young  man,  or  rather  the  steam,  for 
granted,  and  let  us  admit  that  it  is  as  elastic  as  ever  you 
please  —  but  what  then  ?  " 


238  WILLIS    THE    PILOT. 

"  Then  you  must  imagine  a  piston  in  a  cylinder,  forced 
upwards  when  the  steam  is  heated,  and  falling  downwards 
when  the  steam  is  cooled.  Next  fancy  this  upward  and 
downward  motion  regulated  by  a  number  of  wheels  and 
cranks  that  turn  two  wheels  on  each  side  of  the  ship, 
keeping  up  a  constant  jangling  and  clanking,  the  wheels 
or  paddles  splashing  in  the  water,  and  then  you  may  form 
a  slight  idea  of  the  thing." 

"  Oh ! "  cried  Jack,  "  we  invented  a  machine  of  that 
kind  for  our  canoe,  with  a  turnspit.  Do  you  recollect  it, 
Fritz  ?  " 

"  Yes,  I  recollect  it  well  enough ;-"  and  I  also  recollect 
that  the  canoe  went  much  better  without  than  with  it." 

"You  spoke  just  now,"  continued  Willis,  "of  rival 
nations,  who  pounce  like  birds  of  prey  upon  every  new 
invention;  and  so  it  is  with  the  steamship.  An  American, 
named  Fulton,  made  a  trial  in  the  Hudson  with  one  in 
1807  —  that  is  about  five  years  ago — and  I  believe  the 
Yankees,  in  consequence,  are  laying  claim  to  the  inven- 
tion." 

'.'"  Now  that  you  bring  the  thing  to  my  recollection," 
said  Fritz,  "  the  idea  of  applying  steam  in  the  arts  is  by 
no  means  new,  although,  I  must  candidly  admit,  I  never 
heard  of  it  being  used  in  propelling  ships  before.  The 
Spaniards  assert  that  a  captain  of  one  of  their  vessels, 
named  Don  Bias  de  Garay,  discovered,  as  early  as  the 
sixteenth  century,  the  art  of  making  steam  a  motive 
power."  • 

"  I  don't  belidve  -that,"  said  Jack. 

"Why?"    ', 

"  Because  a  real  Spaniard  has  never  less  than  thirty-six 
words  in  his  name.  If  you  had  said  that  the  steam  engine 
was  discovered  by  Do'n  Pedrillo  y  Alvares  y  Toledo  y 
Concha  y  Alonzo  y  Martinez  y  Xacarillo,  or  something  of 
that  sort,  then  I  could  believe  the  man  to  have  been  a 
genuine  Spaniard,  but  not  otherwise." 

"  Spaniard  or  no  Spaniard,  the  Spanish  claim  the  dis- 
covery of  steam  through  Don  Bias ;  the  Italians  likewise 
claim  the  discovery  for  a  mechanician,  named  Bianca; 


WILLIS    THE    PJILOT.  23J 

the  Germans  assign  its  discovery  to  Solomon,  de  Gauss 
the  French  urge  Denis  Papin;  and  the  English  claim  th- 
invention  for  Roger  Bacon." 

"  You  have  forgotten  the  Swiss,"  said  Jack. 

"The  Swiss,"  replied  Fritz,  with  an  air  of  dignity,  "put 
forward  no  candidate  :  steam  and  vapor  and  smoke  are  not 
much  in  their  line.  They  discovered  something  infinitely 
better  —  the  world  is  indebted  to  them  for  the  invention  of 
liberty.  I  mean  rational,  intelligent,  and  true  liberty  — 
not  the  savagery  and  mob  tyranny  of  red  republicanism. 
The  three  discoverers  of  this  noble  invention  were 
Melchthal,  Furst,  and  William  Tell." 

"  You  can  have  no  idea,"  continued  Willis,  "  of  the  stir 
that  steam  was  creating  in  Europe  the  last  time  I  was 
there.  Of  course  there  were  plenty  of  incredulous  people 
who  said  that  it  was  no  good ;  that  it  would  never  be  of 
any  use ;  and  that  if  it  were,  it  would  not  pay  for  the  fuel, 
consumed.  On  the  other  hand,  the  enthusiasts  held  that, 
eventually,  it  would  be  used  for  everything ;  that  in  the 
air  we  should  have  steam  balloons ;  on  the  sea,  steam  ships, 
steam  guns,  and  perhaps  steam 'men  to  work  them ;  that 
on  land  there  would  be  steam  coaches  driven  by  steam 
horses.  Journeys,  say  they,  will  be  performed  in  no  time, 
that  is,  as  soon  as  you  start  for  a  place  you  arrive  at  it, 
just  like  an  arrow,  that  no  sooner  leaves  the  bow  than  you 
see  it  stuck  in  the  bull's  eye." 

"  In  that  case,"  observed  Jack,  "  it  will  be  necessary  to 
do  away  with  respiration,  as  well  as  horses." 

"  A  Londoner  will  be  able  to  say  to  his  wife,  My  dear, 
I  am  going  to  Birmingham  to-day,  but  I  will  be  back  to 
dinner ;  and  if  a  Parisian  lights  his  cigar  at  Paris,  it  w  ill 
burn  till  he  arrives  at  Bordeaux." 

"  Holloa,  Willis,  you  have  fairly  converted  Fritz  and 
me  into  marines  at  last." 

"I  am  only  speaking  of  what  will  be,  not  of  what  is  — 
that  makes  all  the  difference  you  know.  It  is  expected 
that  there  will  be  steam  coaches  on  every  turnpike-road ; 
so  that,  instead  of  hiring  a  post-chaise,  you  will  have  to 
order  a  locomotive,  and  instead  of  postboys,  you  will  have- 
to  engage  an  engineer  and  stoker." 


2tC  Wlf-LIS    THE    PILOT. 

"  Then,  instead  of  saying,  Put  the  horses  to,"  remarked 
Jack,  "  we  shall  have  to  say,  Get  the  steam  up." 

"  Exactly  ;  and  when  you  go  on  a  pleasure  excursion, 
you  will  be  whisked  from  one  point  to  another  without 
having  time  to  see  whether  you  pass  through  a  desert  or  a 
flower-garden." 

"  What,  then,  is  to  become  of  adventures  by  the  way, 
road-side  inns,  and  banditti?" 

"  All  to  be  suppressed." 

"  So  it  appears,"  said  Jack ;  "  men  are  to  be  carried 
about  from  place  to  place  like  flocks  of  sheep ;  perhaps 
they  will  invent  steam  dogs  as  well  to  run  after  straggler?, 
and  bring  them  into  the  fold  by  the  calf  of  the  leg.  •  Your 
new  mode  of  going  a-pleasuring  may  be  a  very  excellent 
thing  in  its  way,  Willis ;  but  it  would  not  suit  my  taste." 

"  Probably  not ;  nor  mine  either,  for  the  matter  of  that, 
Master  Jack." 

"  At  all  events,"  said  Fritz,  "  you  would  run  no  danger 
of  being  upset  on  the  road." 

"  No ;  but,  by  way  of  compensation,  you  may  be  blown 
up." 

"  True,  I  forgot  that." 

"  This  conversation  has  carried  us  along  another  knot," 
said  Jack,  opening  the  log,  which  he  had  been  appointed 
to  keep  ;  "  and  now,  by  your  leave,  I  will  read  over  some  of 
my  entries  to  refresh  your  memories  as  to  our  proceedings. 

"  March  9th.  —  Wind  fair  and  fresh — steered  to  north- 
west— a  flock  of  seals  under  our  lee  bow — feel  rather 
squeamish. 

"  10th. — No  wind— fall  in  with  a  largish  island  and  four  ' 
little  ones,  give  them  the  name  of  Willis's  Archipelago. 

"  llth. — A  dead  calm  —  sea  smooth  as  a  mirror — all 
of  us  dull  and  sleepy. 

"  12th.  —  Heat  90  deg.  —  shot  a  boobie,  roasted  and  ate 
him,  rather  fishy  —  passed  the  night  amongst  some  reefs. 

"  13th.  —  Same  as  the  12th,  but  no  boobie. 

"  14th. — Same  as  the  13th. 

"  Dreadfully  tiresome,  is  it  not,"  said  Jack ;  "  no  wonder 
they  call  this  ocean  the  Pacific." 


WILLIS    THE   PILOT.  241 

"Alas  !  "  sighed  Willis,  thinking  of  the  Nelson,  "it  does 
not  always  justify  the  name." 

"  loth. — Hailed  a  low  island,  surrounded  with  breakers, 
named  it  Sophia's  Island." 

"  But  all  these  islands  have  been  named  half  a  dozen 
times  already,"  said  Willis. 

"  Oh,  never  mind  that,  another  name  or  two  will  not 
break  their  backs." 

"16th. —  Current  bearing  us  rapidly  to  westward  — 
caught  a  sea  cow,  and  had  it  converted  into  pemican. 

"  17th. —  Shot  another  boobie,  which  we  put  in  the  pot 
to  remind  us  that  we  were  no  worse  off  than  the  subjects 
of  Henry  IV.  No  wind — sea  blazing  like  a  furnace." 

"  You  will  have  to  turn  over  a  new  leaf  in  your  log  by- 
and-by,"  said  Willis,  "or  I  am  very  much  mistaken." 

"  Well,  I  hope  you  are  not  mistaken,  Willis,  for  I  am 
tired  of  this  sort  of  thing." 

A  red  haze  now  began  to  shroud  the  sun,  the  heat  of 
the  air  became  almost  stifling,  but  the  muffled  roar  of 
distant  thunder  and  bright  flashes  of  light  warned  the 
voyagers  to  prepare  for  a  change.  Willis  reefed  the  canvas 
close  to  the  mast,  and  suggested  that  everything  likely  to 
spoil  should  be  put  under  hatches.  This  was  scarcely  done 
before  the  storm  had  reached  them,  and  they  were  soon  in 
the  midst  of  a  tropical  deluge.  At  first,  a  light  breeze 
sprung  up,  blowing  towards  the  south-east,  which  con- 
tinued till  midnight,  when  it  chopped  round.  Towards 
morning,  it  blew  a  heavy  gale  from  east  to  east-south-east, 
with  a  heavy  sea  running.  In  the  meantime,  the  pinnace 
labored  heavily,  and  several  seas  broke  over  her.  Willis 
now  saw  that  their  only  chance  of  safety  lay  in  altering 
their  course.  All  the  canvas  was  already  braced  up 
except  the  jib,  which,  was  necessary  to  give  the  craft  head- 
way, and  with  this  sail  alone  they  were  soon  after  speed- 
ing at  a  rapid  rate  in  the  direction  of  the  Polynesian 
Islands.  The  gale  continued  almost  without  intermission 
for  three  weeks,  during  which  period  Willis  considered 
they  must  have  been  driven  some  hundreds,  of  miles  to 
the  north-west. 
31 


242  WILLIS   THE    PILOT. 

The  gale  at  length  ceased,  the  sea  resumed  its  tran- 
quility,  and  the  wind  became  favorable.  The  pinnace 
had,  however,  been  a  good  deal  battered  by  the  storm, 
and  their  fresh  water  was  getting  low,  and  it  was  decided 
they  should  still  keep  a  westerly  course  till  they  reached 
an  island  where  they  could  refit  before  resuming  their 
voyage. 

"The  gale  has  not  done  us  much  good,"  said  Jack, 
sadly ;  "  if  it  had  blown  the  other  way,  we  might  have 
been  in  the  Indian  Ocean  by  this  time." 

"  Cheer  up,"  said  Willis,  taking  the  glass  from  his  eye, 
"  I  see  land  about  three  miles  to  leeward,  and  the  landing 
appears  easy." 

"  But  the  savages  ?  "  inquired  Jack. 

"  The  islands  of  this  latitude  are  not  all  inhabited," 
replied  Fritz  ;  "  besides,  under  our  present  circumstances, 
we  have  no  alternative  but  to  take  our  chance  with  them." 

"Well,  I  do  not  know  that,"  objected  Jack;  "it  would  be 
better  for  us  to  do  without  fresh  water  than  to  run  the 
risk  of  being  eaten." 

"  What  a  beautiful  coast !  "  cried  Willis,  who  still  kept 
the  telescope  at  his  eye.  "  Near  the  shore  the  land  is  flat, 
and  appears  cultivated ;  but  behind,  it  rises  gradually,  and 
is  closed  in  with  a  range  of  hills,  covered  with  trees. 
There  is  a  beautiful  bay  in  front  of  us,  which  appears  to 
invite  us  ashore.  But  the  place  is  inhabited ;  the  shore  is 
strewn  with  huts,  and  I  can  see  clumps  of  the  bread-fruit 
tree  growing  near  them." 

"  What  sort  of  vegetable  is  the  bread-fruit  ?  "  inquired 
Fritz. 

"  It  is  a  very  excellent  thing,  and  supplies  the  natives 
with  bread  without  the  intervention  of  grain,  flour-mills, 
or  bakers.  It  can  be  eaten  either  raw,  or  baked,  or 
boiled ;  either  way,  it  is  palatable.  The  tree  itself  is  like 
our  apple  trees  ;  but  the  fruit  is  as  large  as  a  pine-apple — 
when  it  is  ripe,  it  is  yellow  and  soft.  The  natives,  how- 
ever, generally  gather  it  before  it  is  ripe;  it  is  then  cooked 
in  an  oven  ;  the  skin  is  burnt  or  peeled  off —  the  inside  is 
tender  and  white,  like  the  crumb  of  bread  or  the  flour  of 
the  potato." 


WILLIS   THB   PILOT.  243 

"  Let  me  have  the  telescope  an  instant,"  said  Fritz ; 
"  I  should  like  to  see  what  the  natives  are  like.  Ah,  I 
see  a  troop  of  them  collecting  on  shore ;  some  of  them 
seem  to  be  covered  with  a  kind  of  wrought-steel  armor." 

"  Perhaps  the  descendants  of  the  Crusaders,"  remarked 
Jack,  "  returning  from  the  Holy  Land  by  way  of  the 
Pacific  Ocean ! " 

"  Others  wear  striped  pantaloons,"  continued  Fritz. 

"  That  is  to  say,"  observed  Willis,  "  the  whole  lot  of 
them  are  as  naked  as  posts.  What  you  suppose  to  be 
cuirasses  and  pantaloons,  are  their  tabooed  breasts  and 
legs." 

"  Are  you  sure  of  that,  Willis  ?  " 

"  Not  a  doubt  about  it." 

"  Such  garments  are  both  durable  and  economical," 
remarked  Jack ;  "  but  I  scarcely  think  they  are  suitable 
for  stormy  weather.  But  do  you  think  it  is  safe  to  land 
amongst  such  a  set  of  barebacked  rascals,  Willis  ?  " 

"  I  should  not  like  to  take  the  responsibility  of  guaran- 
teeing our  safety ;  but  I  do  not  see  what  other  course  we 
can  adopt." 

They  had  now  approached  within  musket-shot  of  the 
shore.  They  could  see  that  a  venerable-looking  old  man 
stood  a  few  paces  in  front  of  the  group  of  natives.  He 
held  a  green  branch  in  one  hand,  and  pressed  with  the 
other  a  long  flowing  white  beard  to  his  breast. 

"  According  to  universal  grammar,"  said  Jack,  "  these 
signs  should  mean  peace  and  amity." 

"  Yes,"  replied  the  Pilot ;  "  the  more  so  that  the  rear- 
guard are  pouring  water  on  their  heads,  which  is  the 
greatest  mark  of  courtesy  the  natives  of  Polynesia  can 
show  to  strangers." 

"  Gentlemen,"  cried  Jack,  taking  off  his  cap  and  making 
a  low  bow,  "  we  are  your  most  obedient  servants." 

"  We  must  be  on  our  guard,"  said  Willis ;  "  these 
savages  are  very  deceitful,  and  sometimes  let  fly  their 
arrows  under  a  show  of  friendship.  •  I  will  go  on  shore 
alone,  whilst  you  keep  at  a  little  distance  off,  ready  to  fire 
to  cover  my  retreat,  if  need  be." 

The  young  men  objected  to  Willis  incurring  danger  that 


244  WILLIS    THE    PILOT. 

they  did  not  share ;  but  on  this  point  Willis  was  inexorable, 
so  they  were  obliged  to  suffer  him  to  depart  alone.  By 
good  chance,  they  had  shipped  a  small  cask  of  glass  beads 
on  board  the  pinnace.  The  Pilot  took  a  few  of  these  with 
him,  and,  placing  a  cask  and  a  couple  of  calabashes  in  the 
canoe,  he  rowed  ashore. 

The  natives  were  evidently  in  great  commotion ;  there 
was  an  immense  amount  of  running  backwards  and 
forwards.  Something  important  was,  obviously  enough, 
going  forward  ;  but,  whether  the  excitement  was  caused 
by  curiosity  or  admiration,  it  was  hard  to  say.  They  might 
be  preparing  a  friendly  reception  for  the  stranger,  or  they 
might  be  preparing  to  eat  him  —  which  of  the  two  was  an 
interesting  question  that  Willis  did  not  care  about  probing 
too  deeply  at  that  particular  moment. 

Fritz  and  Jack  anxiously  watched  the  operations  of  the 
natives  from  the  bay.  They  could  not  with  safety  abandon 
the  pinnace ;  but  to  leave  Willis  to  the  mercy  of  the  sinister- 
looking  people  on  shore  was  not  to  be  thought  of  either. 
The  Mary  was,  therefore,  run  in  as  close  as  possible,  and 
Jack  leaped  on  the  sands  a  few  minutes  after  the  Pilot. 

Willis  marched  boldly  on  towards  the  natives,  and  when 
he  arrived  beside  the  old  man,  the  crowd  opened  up  and 
formed  an  avenue  through  which  a  chief  advanced,  fol- 
lowed by  a  number  of  men,  seemingly  priests,  who  carried* 
a  grotesque-looking  figure  that  Jack  presumed  to  be  an 
idol.  The  figure  was  made  up  of  wicker-work  —  was  of 
colossal  height  —  the  features,  which  represented  nothing 
on  earth  beneath  nor  heaven  above,  were  inconceivably 
hideous  —  the  eyes  were  discs  of  mother-of-pearl,  with  a 
nut  in  the  centre  —  the  teeth  were  apparently  those  of  a 
shark,  and  the  body  was  covered  with  a  mantle  of  red 
feathers. 

At  the  command  of  the  chief,  some  of  the  natives 
advanced  and  placed  a  quantity  of  bananas,  bread-fruits, 
and  other  vegetables  at  the  Pilot's  feet ;  the  priests  then 
came  forward  and  knelt  down  before  him,  and  seemed  to 
worship  after  the  fashion  of  the  ancients  when  they  paid 
their  devotions  to  the  Eleusinian  goddess,  or  the  statue  of 
Apollo.  Meanwhile,  Jack,  on  his  side,  was  likewise  sur- 


WILLIS    THE    PILOT.  245 

rounded  by  the  natives,  who  was  treated  with  much  less 
ceremony  than  "Willis.  Instead  of  falling  down  on  their 
knees,  each  of  them,  one  after  the  other,  rubbed  their 
noses  against  his,  and  then  danced  round  him  with  every 
demonstration  of  savage  joy. 

Jack  had  now  an  opportunity  of  observing  the  per- 
sonages about  him  more  in  detail.  They  were  mostly  tall 
and  well-formed  ;  their  features  bore  some  resemblance  to 
those  of  a  negro,  their  nose  being  flat  and  their  lips  thick; 
on  the  other  hand,  they  had  the  high  cheek-bones  of  the 
North  American  Indian  and  the  forehead  of  the  Malay. 
Nearly  all  of  them  were  entirely  naked,  but  wore  a  neck- 
lace and  bracelets  of  shells.  They  were  armed  with  a  sort 
of  spear  and  an  axe  of  hard  wood  edged  with  stone.  Their 
skins  were  tattooed  all  over  with  lines  and  circles,  and 
painted ;  these  decorations,  in  some  instances,  exhibiting 
careful  execution  and  no  inconsiderable  degree  of  artistic 
skill.  These  observations  made,  Jack  pushed  his  way  to 
the  spot  where  Willis  was  receiving  the  homage  of  the 
priests. 

"  What !  you  here  ?  "  said  the  Pilot. 

"  Yes,  Willis,  I  have  come  to  see  what  detained  you. 
By  the  way,  is  there  anything  the  matter  with  my  nose  ?  " 

"Nothing  that  I  can  see;  but  the  natives  of  New  Zealand 
rub  their  noses  against  each  other,  and  probably  the  same 
usage  is  fashion  here." 

"  Why,  then,  do  they  make  you  an  exception  ?  " 

"  I  have  not  the  remotest  idea." 

The  priests  at  length  rose,  and  the  chief  advanced. 
This  dignitary  addressed  a  long  discourse  to  Willis  in  a 
sing-song  tone,  which  lasted  nearly  half  an  hour.  After 
this,  he  stood  aside,  and  looked  at  Willis,  as  if  he  expected 
a  reply. 

"  Illustrious  chief,  king,  prince,  or  nabob,"  said  Willis, 
"  I  am  highly  flattered  by  all  the  fine  things  you  have  just 
said  to  me.  It  is  true,  I  have  not  understood  a  single 
word,  but  the  fruits  you  have  placed  before  me  speak  a 
language  that  I  can  understand.  Howsomever,  most 
mighty  potentate,  we  are  not  in  want  of  provisions ;  but  if 
21* 


246  WILLIS    THE    PILOT. 

you  can  show  us  a  spring  of  good  water,  you  will  confer 
upon  us  an  everlasting  favor." 

"You  might  just  as  well  ask  him  to  show  you  what 
o'clock  it  is  by  the  dial  of  his  cathedral,"  said  Jack. 

"  They  would  only  point  to  the  sun  if  I  did." 

"  But  suppose  the  sun  invisible." 

"  Then  they  would  be  in  the  same  position  as  we  are 
when  we  forget  to  wind  up  our  watches.  Gentlemen  sav- 
ages," he  said,  turning  to  the  natives  and  handing  them 
the  glass  beads,  "  accept  these  trifles  as  a  token  of  our  es- 
teem/' 

The  natives  required  no  pressing,  but  accepted  the  prof- 
fered gifts  with  great  good-will.  The  dancing  and  singing 
then  recommenced  with  redoubled  fury,  and  poor  Jack's 
nose  was  almost  obliterated  by  the  constant  rubbing  it  un- 
derwent. 

Suddenly  the  hubbub  ceased,  and  a  profound  silence 
reigned  throughout  the  assembly.  The  oldest  of  the 
priests  brought  a  mantle  of  red  feathers,  similar  to  the  one 
that  covered  the  idol.  This  was  thrown  over  the  Pilot's 
shoulders ;  a  tuft  of  feathers,  something  resembling  a  fu- 
neral plume,  was  placed  upon  his  head,  and  a  large  semi- 
circular fan  was  thrust  into  his  hand.  Thus  equipped,  a 
procession  was  formed,  one  half  before  and  the  other  half 
behind  him.  The  cortege  began  to  move  slowly  in  the  di- 
rection of  the  interior,  but  the  operation  was  disconcerted 
by  Willis,  who  remained  stock-still. 

"  Thank  you,"  he  said,  "  I  would  rather  not  go  far  away 
from  the  shore." 

As  soon  as  the  natives  saw  clearly  that  Willis  was  not 
disposed  to  move,  the  chief  issued  a  mandate,  and  four 
stout  fellows  immediately  removed  the  idol  from  its  posi- 
tion, and  Willis  was  placed  upon  the  vacant  pedestal. 

The  kind  of  adoration  with  which  all  these  proceedings 
were  accompanied  greatly  perplexed  the  voyagers.  What 
could  it  all  mean  ?  Was  this  a  common  mode  of  welcom- 
ing strangers  ?  It  occurred  to  Jack  that  the  Romans  were 
accustomed  to  decorate  with  flowers  the  victims  they  de- 
signed as  sacrifices  to  the  altars  of  their  gods  before  im- 


WILLIS   THE   PILOT.  247 

molating  them.  This  reminiscence  made  his  flesh  creep 
with  horror,  and  filled  him  with  the  utmost  dismay. 

"  Willis ! "  he  cried  to  the  Pilot,  whom  they  were  now 
leading  off  in  triumph,  "  let  us  try  the  effects  of  our  rifles 
on  this  rabble ;  you  jump  over  the  heads  of  your  worship- 
pers, and  we  will  charge  through  them  to  shore.  I  will 
shoot  the  first  man  that  pursues  us,  and  signal  Fritz  to 
discharge  the  four-pounder  amongst  them." 

"  Impossible,"  replied  Willis ;  "  we  should  both  be  stuck 
all  over  with  arrows  and  lances  before  we  could  reach  the 
pinnace.  Did  I  not  tell  you  not  to  come  ashore  ?  " 

"  True,  Willis,  but  did  you  suppose  I  had  no  heart  ? 
How  could  I  look  on  quietly  whilst  you  were  surrounded 
by  a  mob  of  ferocious-looking  men  ?  " 

"  Well,  well,  Master  Jack,  say  no  more  about  it ;  I  do 
not  suppose  they  mean  to  do  me  any  harm ;  but  there 
would  be  danger  in  rousing  the  passions  of  such  a  multi- 
tude of  people.  They  seem,  luckily,  to  direct  their  atten- 
tions exclusively  to  me,  so  you  had  better  go  back  and 
look  after  the  canoe." 

"  No ;  I  shall  follow  you  wherever  you  go,  Willis,  even 
into  the  soup-kettles  of  the  wretches." 

"  In  that  case,"  said  Willis,  "  the  wine  is  poured  out, 
and,  such  as  it  is,  we  must  drink  it." 


CHAPTER  XX. 

JUPITER    TONAN8 THB     THUNDERS    OF     THE    PILOT WORSHIP- 
PERS  OF   THE     FAR     WEST A    LATE    BREAKFAST RONO    THB 

GREAT A    POLYNESIAN    LEGEND MANNERS  AND  CUSTOMS  OF 

OCEANIA MR.    AND     MRS.     TAMAIDI  —  REGAL     POMP ELBOW 

ROOM KATZENMUSIK QUEEN    TONICO     AND     THE     SHAVING 

GLASS  CONSEQUENCES    OF   A     PINCH     OF     SNUFF  —  DI8GRACK 

OF     THE     GREAT     RONO MARIUS CORIOLANUS HANNIBAL 

ALCIBIADES  CIMON  ARISTIDES   A      SOP      FOR      THE 

THIRSTY  AIR      SOMETHING       ELSE       BESIDES      OXYGEN     AND 

HYDROGEN MARYLAND    AND    WHITECHAPEL HALF-WAY    UP 

THE    CORDILLERAS HUMAN     MACHINES STAR    OF    THE    SEA, 

PRAY   FOR   US ! 

WAS  he  on  his  way  to  the  Capitol  or  to  the  Gemoniae  ? 
The  solution  of  this  question  became,  for  the  moment,  of 
greater  importance  to  Willis  than  the  "  to  be  or  not  to  be  " 
of  Hamlet  to  the  State  of  Denmark.  This  incertitude 
was  all  the  more  painful,  that  it  was  accompanied  by 
myriads  of  insects,  created  by  the  recent  rains ;  these 
swarmed  in  the  air  to  such  an  extent,  that  it  was  utterly 
impossible  to  inhale  the  one  without  swallowing  the  other. 
The  sailor,  notwithstanding  his  elevated  and  somewhat 
perilous  position,  true  to  his  instincts  and  tormented  by 
the  flies,  took  out  his  pipe,  filled  it,  and  struck  a  light. 
As  soon  as  the  first  column  of  smoke  issued  from  his 
mouth,  the  cavalcade  halted  spontaneously,  the  natives  fell 
on  their  faces,  their  noses  touching  the  ground,  and  in  an 
attitude  of  the  profoundest  fear  and  apprehension.  Ju- 
piter thundering  never  created  such  a  sensation  as  Willis 
smoking.  The  savages  seemed  glued  to  the  earth  with 
terror.  If  the  Pilot  had  thought  it  advisable  to  escape, 
he  might  have  walked  over  the  prostrate  bodies  of  his 
captors,  not  one  of  whom  would  have  been  bold  enough 
to  follow  what  appeared  to  be  a  human  volcano,  vomiting 
fire  and  smoke,  —  the  fire  of  course  being  understood. 


WILLIS   THE    PILOT. 

Willis,  however,  now  saw  that  he  possessed  in  his  pipe 
a  ready  means  of  awing  them.  Besides,  it  was  clear  that, 
through  some  fortunate  coincidence,  the  natives  had  mis- 
taken him  for  a  divinity.  There  was,  consequently,  no 
immediate  danger  to  be  apprehended ;  he  therefore  be- 
came himself  again,  and  began  to  enjoy  the  novelty  of  his 
new  dignity. 

It  was  certainly  a  curious  contrast.  "Willis,  seated  on 
a  sort  of  throne,  crowned  with  a  waving  plume  of 
feathers,  shrouded  in  a  fiery  mantle,  and  surrounded  by  a 
crowd  of  prostrate  figures,  was  quietly  puffing  ribbons  of 
smoke  from  the  tips  of  his  lips.  There  he  sat,  for  all  the 
world  like  a  crane  in  a  duck-pond. 

From  time  to  time  the  more  daring  of  the  worshippers 
slightly  raised  their  heads  to  see  whether  Jupiter  was  still 
thundering ;  but  when  their  eye  caught  a  whiff  of  smoke, 
they  speedily  resumed  their  former  posture.  Some  of 
them  even  thrust  their  heads  into  holes,  or  behind  stones, 
as  if  more  effectually  to  shelter  themselves  from  the  fury 
of-  the  fiery  furnace.  At  last  the  eruption  ceased,  Willis 
knocked  the  ashes  out  of  his  pipe,  replaced  it  in  his 
pocket,  and  the  convoy  resumed  its  route. 

After  half  an  hour's  march,  the  procession  halted  near 
a  clump  of  plantains,  in  front  of  a  structure  more  ambi- 
tious than  any  of  those  in  the  neighborhood.  A  female, 
laden  with  rude  ornaments,  was  standing  at  the  door. 
This  lady,  who  rivalled  the  celebrated  Daniel  Lambert 
in  dimensions,  would  have  created  quite  a  furore  at  Bar- 
tholomew Fair  ;  according  to  Jack,  she  was  so  amazingly 
fat,  that  it  would  have  taken  full  five  minutes  to  walk  round 
her.  She  took  the  Pilot  respectfully  by  the  hand,  and  led 
him  into  the  interior  of  the  building,  which  was  crowded 
with  images  of  various  forms,  and  was  evidently  a  temple. 
Willis,  at  a  sign  from  his  conductress,  seated  himself  in  a 
chair,  raised  on  a  dais,  and  surmounted  by  a  terrific  figure 
similar  to  the  one  already  described,  but  draped  in  white 
feathers  instead  of  red. 

The  fat  lady,  or  rather  the  high  priestess  —  for  she  was 
the  reigning  potentate  in  this  magazine  of  idols  —  took  a 
sucking  pig  that  was  held  by  one  of  the  priests.  After 


250  WILLIS    THE   PILOT. 

muttering  a  prayer  or  homily  of  some  sort,  she  strangled 
the  poor  animal,  and  returned  it  to  the  priest.  By  and 
by,  the  pig  was  brought  in  again  cooked,  and  presented 
with  great  ceremony  to  Willis.  There  were  likewise 
sundry  dishes  of  fruit,  nuts,  and  several  small  cups  con- 
taining some  kind  of  liquid.  One  of  the  priests  cut  up 
the  pig,  and  lifted  pieces  of  it  to  Willis's  mouth ;  these, 
however,  he  refused  to  eat.  The  fat  priestess,  observing 
this,  chewed  one  or  two  mouthfuls,  which  she  afterwards 
handed  to  the  Pilot.  This  was  putting  the  sailor's  gal- 
lantry to  rather  a  rude  test.  He  was  equal  to  the  emer- 
gency, and  did  not  refuse  the  offering.  But  he  must  have 
felt  at  the  time,  that  being  a  divinity  was  not  entirely 
without  its  attendant  inconveniences. 

Nor  was  this  the  only  infliction  of  the  kind  he  was 
doomed  to  withstand.  One  of  the  priests  took  up  a  piece 
of  kava-root,  put  it  into  his  mouth,  chewed  it,  and  then 
dropped  a  bit  into  each  of  the  cups  already  noticed.  One 
of  these,  containing  this  nectar,  was  presented  to  Willis  by 
the  fat  Hebe  who  presided  at  the  feast,  and  he  had  die 
fortitude  to  taste  it.  Another  of  the  cups  was  handed  to 
Jack. 

"  No,  I  thank  you,"  said  he,  shaking  his  head;  "I  break- 
fasted rather  late  this  morning." 

Meantime,  another  personage  had  entered  upon  the 
scene.  After  having  performed  an  obeisance  to  Willis  like 
the  rest,  this  individual  backed  himself  to  where  Jack  was 
standing,  by  this  means  adroitly  avoiding  both  the  kava 
and  the  nose-rubbings.  He  was  distinguished  from  the 
other  natives  by  an  ornament  round  his  waist,  which  fell 
to  his  knees.  His  skin  seemed  a  trifle  less  dark,  his  fea- 
tures less  marked ;  but  his  body  was  tattooed  and  stained 
after  the  common  fashion. 

The  new  comer  turned  out  to  be  a  Portuguese  deserter, 
who  had  abandoned  his  ship  twenty  years  before,  and  hud 
married  the  daughter  of  a  chief  of  the  island  on  which  he 
now  was.  At  the  present  moment,  he  filled  the  part  <•{' 
prime  minister  to  the  king,  an  office  he  could  not  have 
held  in  his  own  ungrateful  country,  since  he  could  neither 
read  nor  write.  These  accomplishments,  it  appeared,  were 


WILLIS    THE   PILOT.  251 

not,  however,  absolutely  indispensable  in  Polynesia.  It 
has  been  found  that  when  a  savage  is  transferred  to  Europe, 
he  readily  acquires  the  habits  of  civilized  life.  By  a  simi- 
lar adaptation  of  things  to  circumstances,  this  European 
had  identified  himself  with  the  savages.  He  had  adopted 
their  manners,  their  customs,  and  their  costume.  When 
he  thought  of  his  own  country,  it  was  only  to  wonder  why 
he  ever  submitted  to  the  constraint  of  a  coat,  or  put  him- 
self to  the  trouble  of  handling  a  fork  and  spoon. 

He  had  not,  however,  entirely  forgotten  his  mother 
tongue,  and,  moreover,  still  retained  in  his  memory  a  few 
English  words.  He  was  likewise  very  communicative,  and 
told  Jack  that  they  were  in  the  Island  of  Hawai ;  that  the 
name  of  the  king  was  Toubowrai  Tamaidi,  who,  he  added, 
intended  visiting  the  pinnace  with  the  queen  next  day, 
to  pay  his  respects  in  person  to  the  great  Rono. 

"  His  Majesty,"  said  the  Portuguese,  "  would  have  been 
amongst  the  first  to  throw  himself  at  his  feet,  but  unfortu- 
nately the  royal  residence  is  a  good  way  off;  and  though 
both  the  king  and  the  queen  are  on  the  way,  running-as 
fast  as  they  can,  it  may  take  them  some  time  yet  to  reach 
the  shore." 

"  But  who  is  the  great  Rono  ?  "  inquired  Jack. 

"  Well,"  replied  the  prime  minister,  "  you  ought  to  know 
best,  since  you  arrived  with  him." 

Jack  felt  that  he  was  touching  on  delicate  ground,  and 
saw  that  it  was  necessary  to  diplomatise  a  little. 

"  True,"  said  he ;  "  but  I  am  not  acquainted  with  the 
position  that  illustrious  person  holds  in  relation  to  Hawai." 

The  Portuguese  then  made  a  very  long,  rambling,  and 
not  very  lucid  statement,  from  which  Jack  gleaned  the 
following  details.  About  a  hundred  years  before,  during 
the  reign  of  one  of  the  first  kings,  there  lived  a  great  war- 
rior, whose  name  was  Rono.  This  chief  was  very  popular, 
but  he  was  very  jealous.  In  a  moment  of  anger  he  killed 
his  wife,  of  whom  he  was  passionately  fond.  The  regret 
and  grief  that  resulted  from  this  act  drove  him  out  of  his 
senses:  he  wandered  disconsolately  about  the  island,  fought 
and  quarrelled  with  every  one  that  came  near  him.  At 
last,  in  a  fit  of  despair,  he  embarked  in  a  large  canoe,  and, 


252  WILLIS    THE    PILOT. 

after  promising  to  return  at  the  expiration  of  twelve  hun- 
dred moons,  with  a  white  face  and  on  a  floating  island,  he 
put  out  to  sea,  and  was  never  heard  of  more. 

This  tradition,  it  appears,  had  been  piously  handed 
down  from  family  to  family.  The  natives  of  Hawai — who 
are  not  more  extravagant  in  the  matter  of  idols  than  some 
nations  who  boast  a  larger  amount  of  civilization,  but  who 
do  not  destroy  them  so  often  —  enrolled  Rono  amongst  the 
list  of  their  divinities.  An  image  of  him  was  set  up,  sacri- 
fices were  instituted  in  his  honor.  Every  year  the  day  of 
his  departure  was  kept  sacred,  and  devoted  to  religious 
ceremonies.  The  twelfth  hundred  moon  had  just  set,  when 
a  large  boat  appeared  in  the  bay,  and  a  man  came  ashore. 
The  high  priest  of  the  temple,  Raou,  and  his  daughter,  On 
La,  priestess  of  Rono,  solemnly  declared  that  the  man  in 
question  was  Rono  himself,  who  had  returned  at  the  pre- 
cise time  named,  and  in  the  manner  he  promised. 

It  was,  therefore,  clear  from  this  statement  that  Willis 
was  to  be  henceforward  Rono  the  Great. 

.Jack  was  rather  pleased  than  otherwise  to  learn  that  he 
was  the  companion  of  a  real  live  divinity.  It  assured  him, 
in  the  first  place,  that  the  danger  of  his  being  converted 
into  a  stew  or  a  fricassee  was  not  imminent.  He  did  not 
forget,  however,  that  the  consequences  might  be  perilous 
if,  by  any  chance,  the  illusion  ceased ;  for  he  knew  that 
the  greater  the  height  from  which  a  man  falls,  the  less  the 
mercy  shown  to  him  when  he  is  down.  As  soon,  there- 
fore, as  the  ceremonies  had  a  little  relaxed,  and  Willis  was 
left  some  freedom  of  action,  Jack  went  forward,  and  knelt 
before  him  in  his  turn. 

"  O  sublime  Rono,"  said  he,  "  I  know  now  why  your 
nose  has  escaped  all  the  rubbings  that  mine  has  had  to 
undergo." 

"  Do  you  ?  "  said  Willis  ;  "  glad  to  hear  it,  for  I  am  as 
much  in  the  dark  as  ever." 

Jack  then  related  to  him  the  fabulous  legend  he  had 
just  heard. 

After  a  while,  Willis  shook  off  his  entourage  as  gently 
as  possible,  and  succeeded  in  getting  out  of  the  temple. 
Accompanied  by  Jack,  he  proceeded  towards  the  shore, 


WILLIS    THE   PILOT.  253 

receiving,  as  he  went,  the  adoration  of  the  people.  The 
route  was  strewn  with  fruit,  cocoa-nuts,  and  pigs,  and  the 
natives  were  highly  delighted  when  any  of  their  offerings 
were  accepted  by  the  deified  Rono. 

The  islanders  appeared  mild,  docile,  and  intelligent,  not- 
withstanding the  singular  delusion  that  possessed  them. 
Living  from  day  to  day,  they  were,  doubtless,  ignorant  of 
those  continual  cares  and  calculations  for  the  future  that 
in  the  old  world  pursue  us  even  into  the  hours  of  sleep. 
Were  they  happier  in  consequence  ?  Yes,  if  the  child  is 
happier  than  the  man,  and  if  we  admit  that  we  often  loose 
in  tranquillity  and  happiness  what  we  gain  in  knowledge 
and  perfection :  yes,  if  happiness  is  not  exclusively  attach- 
ed to  certain  peoples  and  certain  climates ;  yes,  if  it  is 
true  that,  with  contentment,  happiness  is  everywhere  to  be 
found. 

The  houses  of  the  Hawaians  are  singular  structures,  and 
scarcely  can  be  called  dwellings.  They  consist  of  three 
rows  of  posts,  two  on  each  side  and  one  in  the  middle,  the 
whole  covered  with  a  slanting  roof,  but  without  any  kind 
of  wall  whatever. 

They  do  not  bury  their  dead,  but  swing  them  up  in  a 
sort  of  hammock,  abundantly  supplied  with  provisions.  It 
is  supposed  that  this  is  done  with  a  view  to  enable  the 
souls  of  the  departed  to  take  their  flight  more  readily  to 
heaven.  The  practice,  consequently,  seems  to  indicate 
that  the  natives  possess  a  confused  idea  of  a  future  state. 
When  a  child  dies,  flowers  are  placed  in  the  hammock 
along  with  the  provisions — a  touch  of  the  nature  common 
to  us  all.  They  express  deep  grief  by  inflicting  wounds 
upon  their  faces  with  a  shark's  tooth ;  and,  when  they  feel 
themselves  in  danger  of  dying,  they  cut  off  a  joint  of  the 
little  finger  to  appease  the  anger  of  the  Divinity.  There 
was  scarcely  one  of  the  adult  islanders  who  was  not  muti- 
lated in  this  way. 

Though  the  worshippers  of  the  great  Rono  appeared 
gentle  and  peaceable  enough,  there  were  to  be  seen  here 
and  there  a  human  jaw-bone,  seemingly  fresh,  with  the 
teeth  entire,  suspended  over  the  entrances  to  the  huts. 
These  ghastly  objects  sent  a  shudder  quivering  through 
22 


254  WILLIS   THB   PILOT. 

Jack's  frame,  and  made  Willis  aware  that  it  would  not  b« 
advisable  rashly  to  throw  off  his  sacred  character. 

As  it  was  now  late,  and  as  they  knew  that  Fritz  would 
be  uneasy  about  them,  they  put  off  laying  in  their  stock 
of  water  till  next  day.  Jack  told  the  prime  minister  that 
the  great  Rono  would  be  prepared  to  receive  theii 
majesties  whenever  they  chose  to  visit  him.  This  done, 
Willis  and  his  companion  seated  themselves  in  the  canoe, 
and  rowed  out  to  the  pinnace. 

"  God  be  thanked,  you  have  returned  in  safety ! "  cried 
Fritz ;  "  I  never  was  so  uneasy  in  the  whole  course  of  my 
life." 

"  Well,  brother,  we  have  not  been  without  our  anxieties 
as  well,  and  had  we  not  happened  to  have  had  a  divinity 
amongst  us,  we  might  not  have  come  off  scathless." 

Jack  then  related  their  adventures,  which  gradually 
brought  a  smile  to  the  pale  lips  of  Fritz. 

"  But  the  water  ?  "  inquired  Fritz,  after  he  had  heard 
the  story. 

"  Oh,  water ;  they  offered  us  something  to  drink  on 
«<hore  that  will  prevent  us  being  thirsty  for  a  month  to 
come,  but  we  shall  see  to  that  to-morrow." 

Towards  dark,  some  fireworks  were  discharged  on  board 
the  pinnace,  by  way  of  demonstrating  that  Willis's  pipe 
was  not  the  only  fiery  terror  the  great  Rono  had  at  his 
command. 

Early  next  morning  a  flotilla  of  canoes  were  observed 
rounding  one  of  the  points  that  formed  the  bay.  The  one 
in  advance  was  larger  than  the  others,  and  was  evidently 
the  trunk  of  a  large  tree  hollowed  out.  Jack's  new  friend, 
the  Portuguese,  hailed  the  pinnace,  and  announced  the 
King  and  Queen  of  Hawai,  who  thereupon  scrambled  into 
the  pinnace.  His  majesty  King  Toubowrai  had  probably 
felt  it  incumbent  upon  himself  to  do  honor  to  the  illus- 
trious Rono,  for  he  wore  an  old  uniform  coat,  very  likely 
the  produce  of  a  wreck,  through  the  sleeves  of  which  the 
angular  knobs  of  his  copper-colored  elbows  projected. 
He  did  not  seem  very  much  at  his  ease  in  this  garment, 
which  contrasted  oddly  with  the  tight-fitting  tattooed  skin 
that  served  him  for  pantaloons. 


WILLIS   THE   PILOT.  255 

"  His  wife,  Queen  Tonico,  princess-like  was  half  stifled 
in  a  thick  blanket  or  mat  of  cocoa-nut  fibre.  Her  ears 
were  heavily  laden  with  teeth  and  ornaments  of  various 
kinds,  made  out  of  bone,  mother  of  pearl,  and  tortoise- 
shell.  Her  nails  were  two  or  three  inches  long ;  and,  to 
judge  by  the  number  of  finger-joints  that  were  wanting, 
she  was  either  trowbled  with  delicate  nerves,  or  was 
slightly  hypochondriac. 

The  royal  pair  were  accompanied  by  a  band  of  music : 
fortunately,  this  remained  in  the  regal  barge.  It  consisted 
of  a  flute  with  four  holes,  a  nondescript  instrument,  seem- 
ingly made  of  stones ;  a  drum  made  out  of  the  hollow 
trunk  of  a  tree,  covered  at  each  end  with  skin,  of  what 
kind  it  is  needless  to  inquire.  The  sounds  emitted  by  this 
orchestra  were  of  an  ear-rending  nature,  and  of  a  kind 
graphically  termed  by  the  Germans  Katzenmusik. 

"  Illustrious  Rono,"  cried  Jack,  "  for  goodness  sake, 
tell  these  gentlemen  you  are  not  a  lover  of  sweet 
sounds." 

"  Belay  there  ! "  roared  Willis. 

This  command,  however,  had  no  effect ;  the  artists  con- 
tinued thumping  and  blowing  away  as  before.  Willis, 
thinking  to  make  himself  better  heard,  placed  his  hands 
on  his  mouth,  and  roared  the  same  order  through  them. 
This  action  seemed  to  be  received  as  a  mark  of  approba- 
tion, for  the  noise  became  absolutely  terrific. 

"  No  use,"  said  Willis :  "  I  can  make  nothing  of  them. 
You  try  what  you  can  do." 

"Very  good,"  said  Jack,  lighting  what  is  technically 
termed  an  artichoke,  but  better  known  as  a  zig-zag  cracker ; 
"  if  they  do  not  understand  English,  perhaps  they  may 
comprehend  pyrotechnics." 

The  artichoke  was  thrown  into  the  royal  barge.  At 
first  there  was  only  a  slight  whiz,  finally  it  gave  an  angry 
bound  and  leaped  into  the  midst  of  the  musicians. 
Startled,  they  tried  to  get  out  of  its  way ;  but  they  were 
no  sooner  at  what  they  thought  to  be  a  safe  distance,  than 
the  thing  was  amongst  them  again.  Their  majesties,  who 
were  just  then  engaged  in  kissing  the  Rono's  feet,  started 
up  in  alarm ;  but  when  they  saw  the  danger  did  not 


WILLIS   THE    PILOT. 

menace  themselves,  they  burst  into  a  hearty  laugh  at  the 
antics  of  their  suite. 

This  episode  over,  and  the  orchestra  silenced,  the  Sov- 
ereign of  Hawai  proceeded  to  inspect  the  pinnace.  He 
expressed  his  delight  every  now  and  then  by  uttering 
the  syllables  u  ta-ta."  Fritz  handed  one  of  those  shaving 
glasses  to  the  Queen  that  lengthen  the  objects  they  reflect. 
This  astonished  her  Majesty  vastly,  and  caused  her  to  ta-ta 
at  a  great  rate.  She  looked  behind  the  mirror,  turned  it 
upside  down,  and  at  last,  when  she  felt  assured  that  it  was 
the  royal  person  h  caricatured,  she  commenced  measuring 
her  cheeks  to  account  for  the  extraordinary  disproportion. 

They  next  all  sat  down  to  a  repast  that  was  spread  on 
deck.  Their  Majesties  observing  Rono  use  a  fork,  did  so 
Kkewise;  but  though  they  stuck  a  piece  of  meat  on  the  end 
of  it,  and  held  it  in  one  hand,  they  continued  carrying  the 
viands  to  their  mouths  with  the  other.  At  the  conclusion 
of  the  feast,  Willis  took  a  pinch  of  snuff  out  of  a  canister. 
Their  Majesties  insisted  upon  doing  so  likewise.  Willis 
handed  them  the  canister,  and  thej  filled  their  noses  with 
the  treacherous  powder.  Then  followed  a  duet  of  sneez- 
ing. accompanied  with  facial  contortions.  The  royal  person- 
ages thinking,  probably,  that  they  were  poisoned,  leaped 
into  the  sea  Like  a  couple  of  frog?,  and  swam  to  the  royal 


"  HoBoa,  sire."  cried  Jack,  "  where  are  you  off  to?" 
This  was  answered  by  the  barge  paddling  away  rapidly 
towards  land.  Hitherto,  the  whole  afiair  had  been  a  farce  ; 
bat  now  the  natives,  who  had  collected  in  great  numbers 
along  the  shore,  seeing  their  king  and  queen  leap  into  the 
water  with  a  terrified  air,  supposed  that  an  attempt  had 
been  made  to  cut  short  their  royal  lives,  and.  under  thi-- 
iiaptraiiina,  discharged  a  cloud  of  arrows  at  the  pinnace, 
to  assume  a  serious  aspect. 


-What."7   exclaimed   Jack,   u  -hooting    at    the    great 

: 

-That,"  said  Fritz,  "only  proves  they  are  men  like 
ourselves.  He  who  is  covered  with  incense  one  day,  is 
very  often  immolated  the  next." 

-  And  that  simply  because  Rono  treated  Mr.  and  Mrs. 


WILLIS    THE   PILOT.  257 

WLat's-their-names  to  a  pinch  of  snuff.  Serve  then  right 
to  discharge  the  contents  of  the  four-pounder  MMi«y* 
them." 

-  No,   no,"   cried    Willis ;    "  the    worthy    people   are, 
perhaps,  fond  of  their  king  and  queen." 

~  Worthy  people  or  not,"  said  Fritz,  drawing  out  an 
arrow  that  had  sunk  into  the  capstan,  ~  it  is  very  likely 
that  if  this  dart  had  hit  one  of  us,  there  would  only  hare 
been  two  instead  of  three  in  the  crew  of  the  pinnace." 

"  Well,"  said  Willis,  -  Master  Jack  thought  the  voyage 
rather  dull ;  now  something  has  turned  up  to  relieve  the 
monotony  of  his  log." 

-  We  are  still  without  fresh  water  though.  Wiffis;  I 
wish  you  could  say  that  had  turned  up  as  welL" 

"  It  will  be  prudent  to  go  in  search  of  that  somewhere 
else  now,"  said  Willis,  unfurling  the  sails.  **  Fortunately 
the  wind  is  fresh,  and  we  can  make  considerable  headway 
before  night." 

As  they  steered  gently  out  of  the  bay  a  second  cloud  of 
arrows  was  sent  after  them,  but  this  time  they  fell  short. 

-  The  belief  in  Rono  is  about  to  be  seriously  compro- 
mised," remarked  Fritz ;  u  I  should  advise  the  priestess  to 
retire  into  private  life." 

"  Impossible." 

"Why?" 

u  Because  she  is  too  fat  to  live  in  an  ordinary  house, 
she  could  only  breathe  in  a  temple.  But,  O  human 
Yicissirudes ! "  added  Jack,  rolling  himself  up  in  a  sail  after 
the  manner  of  the  •  Roman  senators ;  ~  behold  Rono  the 
Great  banished  from  his  country,  and  compelled  to  go  and 
pillow  his  head  on  a  foreign  sail,  like  Marius  at  Minturnus 
—  like  Coriolanus  amongst  the  Volcians  —  like  Hannibal 
at  the  house  of  Antiochus  —  like  Alcibiades  at  the  castle 
of  Grunium  in  Fhrygia,  give*  to  him  out  of  charity  by  die 
benevolent  Pharnabazus,  and  in  which  he  was  burnt  alive 
by  his  countrymen  —  like  Cimon,  voted  into  exile  by  ballot 
and  universal  suffrage  —  like  Aristides,  whom  the  people 
got  tired  of  hearing  called  the  Just,  and  many  others." 

~  Who  are  all  these  personages  ?  "  inquired  Willis. 

~  TLey  were  worthies  of  another  %ge,"  replied  Fritz ; 
•2-J* 


258  WILLIS    THE    PILOT. 

"  very  excellent  men  in  their  way,  and  you  are  in  no  way 
dishonored  by  being  numbered  amongst  them." 

"  Yesterday,"  continued  Jack,  "  an  entire  people  were 
upon  their  knees  before  you  ;  they  offered  up  sacrifices, 
and  poured  out  incense  on  their  altars  for  you  ;  fruit  and 
pigs  were  scattered  in  heaps,  like  flowers,  upon  your  path ; 
the  crowd  were  prostrated  by  the  fumes  of  your  pipe. 
To-day  —  alas,  the  change !  —  a  cloud  of  arrows,  and  not 
a  single  glass  of  cold  water ! " 

"  That  gives  you  an  opportunity  of  quenching  your 
thirst  with  the  nectar  offered  to  you  yesterday,"  said  Fritz ; 
"  as  for  myself,  I  have  no  such  resource." 

"  Yes,  that  was  a  posset  to  quench  one's  thirst  withal ; 
I  only  wish  I  had  a  cupful  to  give  you.  I  do  not  regret 
having  had  an  opportunity  of  becoming  acquainted  with 
the  people  though.  They  have  enabled  me  to  rectify  some 
erroneous  notions  I  formerly  entertained.  If,  for  example, 
I  were  to  ask  you  what  air  consists  of?  you  would,  no 
doubt,  reply  that  is  a  compound  body  made  of  oxygen  and 
hydrogen  or  azote,  in  the  proportion  of  twenty-one  of  the 
one  to  seventy-nine  of  the  other." 

"  Yes,  most  undoubtedly." 

'•  Well,  such  is  not  the  case ;  there  are  other  elements 
in  the  air  besides  these." 

"  If  you  mean  that  the  air  accidentally,  or  even  perma- 
nently, holds  in  solution  a  certain  quantity  of  water,  or  a 
portion  of  carbonic  acid  gas,  and  possibly  some  particles 
of  dust  arising  from  terrestrial  bodies,  then  I  grant  your 
premises." 

"  No ;  what  I  mean  is,  that  the  air  of  Hawai  is  com- 
posed of  three  distinct  elements." 

"  Possibly ;  but  if  so,  the  air  in  question  is  not  known 
to  chemists." 

"  These  three  elements  'are  oxygen,  hydrogen,  and 
insects." 

"  Ah,  insects !  I  might  have  fancied  you  were  driving 
at  some  hypothesis  of  that  sort." 

"  I  intend  to  communicate  this  discovery  to  the  first 
learned  society  we  fall  in  with." 

"  In  the  Pacific  Ocean  ?  " 


WILLIS   THE    PILOT.  259 

"  Yes  ;  there  or  elsewhere." 

"  I  always  understood,"  observed  Willis,  "  that  air  was 
a  sort  of  cloud,  one  and  indivisible." 

"  A  cloud  if  you  like,  Willis  ;  but  do  you  know  the 
weight  of  it  you  carry  on  your  shoulders  ?  " 

"  Well,  it  cannot  be  very  great,  otherwise  I  should 
feel  it." 

"  What  do  you  say  to  a  ton  or  so,  old  fellow  ?  " 

"  If  you  wish  me  to  believe  that,  you  will  have  to  ex- 
plain how,  where,  when,  why,  and  wherefore." 

"  Very  good,  Willis ;  you  have  bathed  sometimes  ?" 

"  Yes,  certainly." 

"  In  the  sea  ?  " 

"Yes." 

"  Do  you  know  what  water  weighs  ?  " 

"  No,  but  I  know  that  it  is  heavy." 

"  Well,  a  square  yard  of  air  weighs  two  pounds  and  a 
half,  but  a  square  yard  of  water  weighs  two  thousand 
pounds.  Now,  can  you  calculate  the  weight  of  the  water 
that  is  on  your  back  and  pressing  on  your  sides  when  you 
swim  ?  " 

"  No,  I  cannot." 

"  You  are  not  sufficiently  up  in  arithmetic  to  do  that, 
Willis  ?  " 

"  No." 

"  Nor  am  I  either,  Willis ;  but  let  me  ask  you  how  it  is 
that  the  waves  do  not  carry  you  along  with  them  ?  " 

"  Because  one  wave  neutralises  the  effect  of  another." 

"  Very  good ;  but  how  is  it  that  these  ponderous  waves, 
coming  down  upon  you,  do  not  crush  you  to  atoms  by  their 
mere  weight  ?  " 

"  Well,  I  suppose  that  liquids  do  not  operate  in  the  same 
way  as  solids  :  perhaps  there  is  something  in  our  bodies 
that  counterbalances  the  effect  of  the  water." 

"  Very  likely  ;  and  if  such  be  the  case  as  regards  water, 
may  it  not  be  so  also  as  regards  air  ?  " 

"  But  I  do  not  feel  air ;  whereas,  if  I  go  into  water,  I 
not  only  feel  it,  but  taste  it  sometimes,  and  I  cannot  force 
my  way  through  it  without  considerable  exertion." 


260  WILLIS    THE   PILOT. 

u  That  is  because  you  are  organized  to  live  in  air  and 
not  in  water.  You  ask  the  smallest  sprat  or  sticklebakc 
if  it  does  not,  in  the  same  way  feel  the  air  obstruct  its 
progress." 

"  But  would  the  stickleback  answer  me,  Master  Fritz?" 

"  Why  not,  if  it  is  polite  and  well  bred  ?  " 

"  By  the  way,  Willis,"  inquired  Jack,  "  do  you  ever 
recollect  having  lived  without  breathing  ?  " 

"  Can't  say  I  do." 

"  Very  well,  then  ;  had  you  felt  the  weight  of  the  air  at 
any  given  moment,  it  must  have  produced  an  impression 
you  never  felt  before ;  but  you  have  not,  because  circum- 
stances have  never  varied.  A  sensation  supposes  a  con- 
trast, whilst,  ever  since  you  existed,  you  have  always  been 
subject  to  atmospheric  pressure." 

"  Ah,  now  I  begin  to  get  at  the  gist  of  your  argument. 
You  mean,  for  example,  that  I  would  never  have  appre- 
ciated the  delicate  flavor  of  Maryland  or  Havanna,  had  I 
not  been  accustomed  to  smoke  the  cabbage-leaf  manufac- 
tured in  Whitechapel." 

"  Precisely  so  ;  and  take  for  another  example  the  farm 
of  Antisana,  which  is  situated  about  midway  up  the  Cor- 
dilleras, mountains  of  South  America.  When  travellers, 
arriving  there  from  the  summits  which  are  covered  with 
perpetual  snow,  meet  others  arriving  from  the  plain  where 
the  heat  is  intense,  those  that  descend  are  invariably 
bathed  in  perspiration,  whilst  those  that  have  come  up  are 
shivering  with  cold  and  covered  with  furs.  The  reason 
of  this  is,  that  we  cannot  feel  warm  till  we  have  been 
cold,  and  vice  versa." 

"  Our  bodies,"  resumed  Fritz,  "  however  much  the  ther- 
mometer descends,  never  mark  less  than  thirty-five  degrees 
above  zero.  In  winter  the  skin  shrinks,  and  becomes  a 
bad  conductor  of  heat  from  without ;  but,  at  the  same  time, 
does  not  allow  so  much  gas  and  vapor  to  escape  from 
within.  In  summer,  on  the  contrary,  the  skin  dilates  and 
allows  perspiration  to  form,  a  process  that  consumes  a 
considerable  amount  of  latent  heat.  Starting  from  this 
principle,  it  has  been  calculated  that  a  man,  breathing 
twenty  times  in  a  minute,  generates  as  much  heat  in 


WILLIS    THE    PILOT.  261 

twenty-four  hours  as  would  boil  a  bucket  of  water  taken 
at  zero." 

"  If  means  could  be  found,"  remarked  Jack,  "  to  furnish 
him  with  a  boiler,  by  fixing  a  piston  here  and  a  pipe  there 
man  might  be  converted  into  one  of  the  machines  we  were 
talking  about  the  other  day." 

"  Were  I  disposed  to  philosophize,"  added  Fritz,  "  I 
might  prove  to  you  that  for  a  long  time  men  have  been 
little  else  than  mere  machines." 

Before  night  they  had  run  about  thirty  miles  further  to 
the  north-east,  without  seeing  any  thing  beyond  a  formid- 
able bluff,  guarded  by  a  fringe  of  breakers,  that  would 
soon  have  swallowed  up  the  Mary  had  she  ventured  to 
reach  the  land.  It  was  necessary  however  to  obtain  fresh 
water  at  any  price  before  they  resumed  their  voyage. 

It  was  to  be  feared  that  all  the  islanders  of  the  Pacific 
were  not  in  expectation  of  a  great  Rono,  consequently 
Willis  suggested  that  it  would  be  as  well  to  search  for  an 
uninhabited  spot.  The  only  question  was,  how  long  they 
might  have  to  search  before  they  succeeded ;  for  they 
knew  that  there  were  plenty  of  small  islands  in  these 
latitudes  unencumbered  by  savages,  and  furnished  with 
pools  and  springs  of  water. 

Night  at  length  closed  in  upon  them,  and  with  it  came 
a  dense  mist,  that  enveloped  the  Mary  as  if  in  a  triple 
veil  of  muslin. 

"  Willis,"  inquired  Jack,  "  what  difference  is  there 
between  a  mist  and  a  cloud  ?  " 

"  None  that  I  know  of,"  replied  the  Pilot,  "  except  that 
a  cloud  which  we  are  in  is  mist,  and  mist  that  we  are  not 
in  is  a  cloud.  And  now,  my  lads,"  he  added,  "  you  may 
turn  in,  for  I  intend  to  take  the  first  watch." 

Before  turning  in,  however,  all  three  joined  in  a  short 
prayer.  The  young  men  had  not  yet  forgotten  the  pious 
precepts  of  their  father.  Prayer  is  beautiful  everywhere, 
but  nowhere  is  it  so  beautiful  as  on  the  open  sea,  with 
infinity  above  and  an  abyss  beneath.  Then,  when  all  is 
silent  save  the  roar  of  the  waves  and  the  howling  of  the 
winds,  it  is  sublime  to  hear  the  humble  voice  of  the  sailor 
murmuring,  "  Star  of  the  night,  pray  for  us !  " 


262  WILLIS    THE    PILOT. 

That  night  the  star  of  the  night  did  pray  for  the  three 
voyagers,  for  the  rays  of  the  moon  burst  through  the  dark- 
ness and  the  mist,  and  fell  upon  a  long  line  of  reefs  under 
the  lee  of  the  pinnace.  Had  they  held  on  their  course  a 
few  minutes  longer,  our  story  would  have  been  ended. 


CHAPTER  XXI. 

LTINO  TO  —  HEART  AND  INSTINCT  —  SPARROWS  VIEWED  AS  CON- 
SUMERS—  MIGRATIONS  —  POSTING  A  LETTER  IN  THE  PACIFIC 
—  CANNIBALS  —  ADVENTURES  OF  A  LOCKET. 

THE  glimpse  of  moonshine  only  lasted  a  second,  but  it 
was  sufficient  to  light  up  the  valley  of  the  shadow  of  death. 
All  around  was  again  enveloped  in  obscurity.  The  moon, 
like  a  modest  benefactor  who  hides  himself  from  those  to 
whose  wants  he  has  ministered,  concealed  itself  behind 
its  screen  of  blackness. 

The  pinnace  was  thrown  into  stays,  and  they  resolved 
to  lie-to  till  daybreak.  There  might  be  rocks  to  windward 
as  well  as  to  leeward ;  at  all  events,  they  felt  that  their 
safest  course  lay  in  maintaining,  as  far  as  possible,  their 
actual  position ;  and,  after  having  returned  thanks  for 
their  almost  miraculous  escape,  they  made  the  usual  ar- 
rangements for  passing  the  night. 

Next  morning  they  found  themselves  in  the  midst  of  a 
labyrinth  of  rocks,  from  which,  with  the  help  of  Provi- 
dence, they  succeeded  in  extricating  themselves.  The 
rocks,  or  rather  reefs,  amongst  which  they  were  entangled, 
are  very  common  in  these  seas.  As  they  are  scarcely 
visible  at  high  water,  they  are  extremely  dangerous,  and 
often  baffle  the  skill  of  the  most  expert  navigator. 

Whilst  Willis  steered  the  pinnace  amongst  the  islands 
and  rocks  of  the  Hawaian  Archipelago,  Fritz  kept  a  look- 
out for  savages,  fresh  water,  and  eligible  landing-places. 
And  Jack,  after  having  posted  up  his  log,  set  about  in- 
diting a  letter  for  home. 

"  The  voyage,"  said  he,  "  has  lately  been  so  prolific  in 
adventure,  that  I  scarcely  know  where  to  begin." 

"  Begin  by  saluting  them  all  round,"  suggested  Fritz. 


264  WILLIS    THE    PILOT. 

"  But,  brother  of  mine,  that  is  usually  done  at  the  end 
of  the  letter,"  objected  Jack. 

"  What  then  ?  you  can  repeat  the  salutations  at  the  end, 
and  you  might  also,  for  that  matter,  put  them  in  the  mid- 
dle as  well." 

"  I  have  written  lots  of  letters  on  board  ship  for  my 
comrades,"  remarked  Willis,  "  and  I  invariably  com- 
menced by  saying  —  /  take  a  pen  in  my  hand  to  let  you 
Taiow  I  am  well,  hoping  you  are  the  same." 

"  What  else  could  you  take  in  your  hand  for  such  a 
purpose,  O  Rono  ?  "  inquired  Jack. 

"Sometimes,  after  this  preamble,  I  added,  'but  I  am 
afraid.' " 

"  I  thought  you  old  salts  were  never  afraid  of  anything, 
short  of  the  Flying  Dutchman." 

"  Yes ;  but  the  letters  I  put  that  in  were  for  young  lub- 
bers, who,  instead  of  sending  home  half  their  pay,  were 
writing  for  extra  supplies,  and  were  naturally  in  great  fear 
that  their  requests  would  be  refused." 

"  I  scarcely  think  I  shall  adopt  that  style,  Willis,  even 
though  it  were  recognized  by  the  navy  regulations." 

"  Do  you  think  the  pigeon  will  find  its  way  with  the 
letter  from  here  to  New  Switzerland  ?  "  inquired  Willis. 

"  I  have  no  doubt  about  that,"  replied  Fritz,  "  it  natur- 
ally returns  to  its  nest  and  its  affections.  If  you  had 
wings,  would  you  not  fly  straight  off  in  the  direction  of 
the  Bass  Rock  or  Ailsa  Craig,  to  hunt  up  your  old  arm- 
chair?" 

"  Don't  speak  of  it ;  I  feel  my  heart  go  pit-pat  when  I 
think  of  home,  sweet  home." 

"  So  do  the  birds.  When  they  soften  the  grain  before 
they  throw  it  into  the  maw  of  their  fledgelings  —  when 
they  fly  off  and  return  laden  with  midges  to  their  nests  — 
when  they  tear  the  down  from  their  breasts  to  protect 
their  eggs  and  their  young,  do  you  think  their  hearts  do 
not  beat  as  well  as  yours  ?  " 

"  But  all  that  is  said  to  be  instinct." 

"  Heart  or  instinct,  where  is  the  difference  ?  The  Ab- 
be" Spallanzani  saw  two  swallows  that  were  carried  to 


WILLIS    THE    PILOT.  265 

Milan  return  to  Pavia  in  fifteen  minutes,  and  the  distance 
between  the  two  cities  is  seven  leagues." 

"  That  I  can  easily  believe." 

"  When  you  see  a  little,  insignificant  bird  flying  back- 
wards and  forwards,  perching  on  one  branch  and  hopping 
off  to  another,  whistling,  carolling,  perching  here  and 
there,  you  think  that  it  has  no  cares,  that  it  does  not  re- 
flect, and  that  it  does  not  love ! " 

"  Well,  I  have  heard  in  my  time  a  great  many  wonder- 
ful stories  of  robin-redbreasts  and  jenny- wrens,  but  I  al- 
ways understood  that  they  were  intended  only  to,  'amuse 
little  boys  and  gir)s." 

"  You  consider,  doubtless,  that  a  field-sparrow  is  not  a 
creature  of  much  importance ;  but  do  you  know  that  he 
consumes  half  a  bushel  of  corn  annually  ?  " 

"If  that  is  his  only  merit,  the  farmers,  I  dare  say, 
would  be  glad  to  get  rid  of  him." 

"  But  it  is  not  his  only  merit.  What  do  you  think  of 
his  killing  three  thousand  insects  a  week." 

"  That  is  more  to  the  purpose.  But,  to  return  to  the 
pigeon,  supposing  it  is  possible  for  it  to  find  its  way,  how 
long  do  you  suppose  it  will  take  to  get  there? " 

"  It  is  estimated  that  birds  of  passage  fly  over  two  hun- 
dred miles  a  day,  if  they  keep  on  the  wing  for  six  hours." 

"  Two  hundred  miles  in  six  hours  is  fast  sailing,  any- 
how." 

"  Swallows  have  been  seen  in  Senegal  on  the  9th  of 
October,  that  is,  eight  or  nine  days  after  they  leave  Eu- 
rope ;  and  that  journey  they  repeat  every  year." 

"They  must  surely  make  some  preparations  for  such  a 
lengthy  excursion." 

"  When  the  period  of  departure  approaches,  they  collect 
together  in  troops  on  the  chimneys  or  roofs  of  houses,  and 
on  the  tops  of  trees.  During  this  operation,  they  keep  up 
an  incessant  cry,  which  brings  families  of  them  from  all 
quarters.  The  young  ones  try  the  strength  of  their  wings 
under  the  eyes  of  the  parents.  Finally,  they  make  some 
strategic  dispositions,  and  elect  a  chief." 

"  You  talk  of  the  swallows  as  if  they  were  an  army  pre- 
23 


266  WILLIS   THE   PILOT. 

paring  for  battle,  with  flags  flying,  trumpets  sounding, 
and  ready  to  inarch  at  the  word  of  command." 

"  The  resemblance  between  flocks  of  birds  and  serried 
masses  of  men  in  martial  array  is  striking.  Wild  ducks, 
swans,  and  cranes  fly  in  a  kind  of  regimental  order ;  their 
battalions  assume  the  form  of  a  triangle  or  wedge,  so  as  to 
cut  through  the  air  with  greater  facility,  and  diminish 
the  resistance  it  presents  to  their  flight. 

"  But  how  do  you  know  it  is  for  that  ?  " 

"  What  else  could  it  be  for  ?  The  leader  gives  notice, 
by  a  peculiar  cry,  of  the  route  it  is  about  to  take.  This 
cry  is  repeated  by  the  flock,  as  if  to  say  that  they  will 
follow,  and  keep  the  direction  indicated.  When  they 
meet  with  a  bird  of  prey  whose  attacks  they  may  have  to 
repulse,  the  ranks  fall  in  so  as  to  present  a  solid  phalanx 
to  the  enemy." 

"  If  they  had  a  commissariat  in  the  rear  and  a  few  sap- 
pers in  front,  the  resemblance  would  be  complete." 

"  If  a  storm  arises,"  continued  Fritz,  without  noticing 
Willis's  commentary,  "  they  lower  their  flight  and  approach 
the  ground." 

"  Forgotten  their  umbrellas,  perhaps." 

"  When  they  make  a  halt,  outposts  are  established  to 
keep  a  look  out  while  the  troop  sleeps." 

"  And,  in  cases  of  alarm,  the  outposts  fire  and  fall  in  as 
a  matter  of  course." 

"  Great  Rono,"  said  Jack,  "  you  are  become  a  downright 
quiz.  I  have  finished  my  letter  whilst  you  have  been  dis- 
cussing the  poultry,"  he  added,  handing  the  pen  to  his 
brother,  "  and  it  only  waits  your  postscriptum."  Fritz 
having  added  a  few  lines,  the  epistle  was  sealed,  and  was 
then  attached  to  one  of  the  pigeons,  which,  after  hovering 
a  short  time  round  the  pinnace,  took  a  flight  upwards  and 
disappeared  in  the  clouds. 

They  were  now  in  sight  of  a  large  island,  which  bore  no 
traces  of  habitation.  There  was  a  heavy  surf  beating  on 
the  shore,  but  the  case  was  urgent,  so  Willis  and  Jack 
embarked  in  the  canoe,  and,  after  a  hard  fight  with  the 
waves,  landed  on  the  beach. 

Each  of  them  were  armed  with  a  double-barrelled  rifle, 


WILLJS    THE    PILOT.  2G7 

and  furnished  with  a  boatswain's  whistle.  The  whistle 
was  to  signal  the  discovery  of  water,  and  a  rifle  shot  was 
to  bring  them  together  in  case  of  danger.  These  arrange- 
ments being  made,  Jack  proceeded  in  the  direction  of  a 
thicket,  which  stood  at  the  distance  of  some  hundred  yards 
from  the  shore.  He  had  no  sooner  reached  the  cover  in 
the  vicinity  of  the  trees  than  he  was  pounced  upon  by  two 
ferocious-looking  savages.  They  gave  him  no  time  to  level 
his  rifle  or  to  draw  a  knife.  One  of  his  captors  held  his 
hands  firmly  behind  his  back,  whilst  the  other  dragged  him 
towardsMhe  wood.  At  this  moment  the  Pilot's  whistle 
rang  sharply  through  the  air.  This  put  an  end  to  any 
hopes  that  Jack  might  have  entertained  of  being  rescued 
through  that  means.  Had  he  sounded  the  whistle,  it  would 
only  have  led  Willis  to  suppose  that  he  had  heard  the  sig- 
nal, and  was  on  his  way  to  join  him. 

Poor  Jack  judged,  from  the  aspect  of  the  men  who  held 
him,  that  they  were  cannibals,  and  consequently  that  his 
fate  was  sealed,  for  if  his  surmises  were  correct,  there  was 
little  chance  of  the  wretches  relinquishing  tlieir  prey. 
Jack  had  often  amused  himself  at  the  expense  of  the 
anthropophagi,  but  here  he  was  actually  within  their  grasp. 
Though  death  terminates  the  sorrows  and  the  sufferings  of 
man,  and  though  the  result  is  the  same  in  whatever  shape 
it  comes,  yet  there  are  circumstances  which  cause  its 
approach  to  be  regarded  with  terror  and  dismay.  In  one's 
bed,  exhausted  by  old  age  or  disease,  the  lips  only  open  to 
give  utterance  to  a  sigh  of  pain ;  life,  then,  is  a  burden 
that  is  laid  down  without  reluctance ;  we  glide  impercep- 
tibly and  almost  voluntarily  into  eternity. 

At  twenty  years  of  age,  however,  when  we  are  full  of 
health  and  ardor,  the  case  is  very  different.  Then  we  are 
at  the'threshold  of  hope  and  happiness  ;  our  illusions  have 
not  had  time  to  fade,  the  future  is  a  brilliant  meteor 
sparkling  in  sunshine.  At  that  age  our  seas  are  always 
calm,  and  the  rocks  and  shoals  are  all  concealed.  Our 
barks  glide  jauntily  along,  the  sailors  sing  merrily,  the 
perils  are  shrouded  in  romance,  and  the  flag  flutters  gaily 
in  the  breeze.  Then  life  is  not  abandoned  without  a  tear 
of  regret. 


26* 


WILLIS    THE    PILOT. 


To  die  in  the  midst  of  one's  friends  is  not  to  quit  them 
entirely.  They  come  to  see  us  through  the  marble  or 
stone  in  which  we  are  shrouded.  It  is  another  thing  to 
have  no  other  sepulchre  than  the  esophagus  of  a  cannibal. 
How  the  recollections  of  the  past  darted  into  Jack's  mind ! 
He  felt  that  he  loved  those  whom  he  was  on  the  point  of 
leaving  a  thousand  times  more  than  he  did  before.  What 
would  he  not  have  given  for  the  power  to  bid  them  one 
last  adieu  ?  The  idea  of  quitting  life  thus  was  horrible. 

It  was  in  vain  that  he  tried  to  shake  off  his  assailants  ; 
his  adolescent  strength  was  as  nothing  in  the  arms  of  steel 
that  bound  him.  He  saw  that  he  was  powerless  in  their 
hands,  and  at  length  ceased  making  any  further  attempts 
to  escape. 

The  savages,  finding  that  he  had  relaxed  his  struggles, 
commenced  to  rifle  and  strip  him.  They  tore  off  his 
upper  garments,  and  discovered  a  small  locket,  containing 
a  medallion  of  his  mother,  which  the  unfortunate  youth 
wore  round  his  neck.  This  prize,  which  the  savages  no 
doubt  regarded  as  a  talisman  of  some  sort,  they  both 
desired  to  possess.  They  quarrelled  about  it,  and  com- 
menced fighting  over  it.  Jack's  hands  were  left  at  liberty. 
In  an  instant  he  had  seized  his  rifle.  He  ran  a  few  paces 
back,  turned,  took  deliberate  aim  at  the  most  powerful  of 
his  adversaries,  who,  with  a  shriek,  fell  to  the  ground. 
The  other  savage,  scared  by  the  report  of  the  shot  and  its 
effects  upon  his  companion,  took  to  flight,  but  he  carried 
off  the  locket  with  him. 

Jack  had  now  regained  his  courage.  lie  felt,  like 
Telemachus  in  the  midst  of  his  battles,  that  God  was  with 
him,  and  he  flew,  perhaps  imprudently,  after  the  fugitive. 
Seeing,  however,  that  he  had  no  chance  with  him  as 
regards  speed,  he  discharged  his  second  rifle.  The  shot 
did  not  take  effect,  but  the  report  brought  the  savage  to 
his  knees.  The  frightened  wretch  pressed  his  hands  to- 
gether in  an  attitude  of  supplication.  Jack  stopped  at  a 
little  distance,  and,  by  an  imperious  gesture,  gave  him  to 
understand  that  he  wanted  the  locket.  The  sign  was  com- 
prehended, for  the  savage  laid  the  talisman  on  the  ground. 


WILLIS    THE    PILOT. 


269 


«  Now,"  said  Jack,  "  in  the  name  of  my  mother  I  give 
you  your  life." 

By  another  sign,  he  signified  to  the  man  that  he  was  at 
liberty,  which  he  no  sooner  understood  than  he  vanished 
like  an  arrow. 

Great  was  the  consternation  of  Fritz  when  he  heard  the 
reports ;  he  feared  that  the  whole  island  was  in  commo- 
tion, and  that  both  his  brother  and  the  Pilot  were  sur- 
rounded by  a  legion  of  copper-colored  devils.  From  the 
conformation  of  the  coast  he  could  see  nothing,  and,  like 
Sisiphus  on  his  rock,  he  was  tied  by  imperious  necessity 
to  his  post. 

The  Pilot,  on  hearing  the  first  shot,  ran  to  the  spot,  and 
both  he  and  Jack  arrived  at  the  same  instant,  where  the 
savage  lay  bleeding  on  the  ground. 

"  You  are  safe  and  sound,  I  hope  ? "  said  Willis, 
anxiously. 

"  With  the  exception  of  some  slight  contusions,  and  the 
loss  of  my  clothes,  thank  God,  I  am  all  right,  Willis." 

"  We  are  born  to  bad  luck,  it  seems." 

"  Say  rather  we  are  the  spoilt  children  of  Providence. 
I  have  just  passed  through  the  eye  of  a  needle." 

"  Is  this  the  only  savage  you  have  seen  ?  " 

"  No,  there  were  two  of  them ;  and,  to  judge  from  their 
actions,  I  verily  believe  the  rascals  intended  to  eat  me. 
As  for  this  one,  he  is  more  frightened  than  hurt." 

And  so  it  was,  he  had  escaped  with  some  slugs'  in  his 
shoulders ;  but  he  seemed,  by  the  contortions  of  his  face, 
to  think  that  he  was  dying. 

"  Fortunately,"  said  Jack,  "  my  rifle  was  not  loaded  with 
ball.  I  should  be  sorry  to  have  the  death  of  a  human 
being  on  my  conscience." 

"  Well,"  said  Willis,  "  I  am  not  naturally  cruel,  but,  be- 
set as  you  have  been,  I  should  have  shot  both  the  fellows 
without  the  slightest  compunction." 

"Still,"  said  Jack,  giving  the  wounded  savage  a  mouth- 
ful of  brandy,  "  we  ought  to  have  mercy  on  the  vanquished 
—  they  are  men  like  ourselves,  at  all  events." 

"  Yes,  they  have  flesh  and  bone,  arms,  legs,  hands,  and 


270  "WILLIS    THE    PILOJ. 

teeth  like  us ;  but  I  doubt  whether  they  are  possessed  of 
souls  and  hearts." 

"  The  chances  are  that  they  possess  both,  Willis  ;  only 
neither  the  one  nor  the  other  has  been  trained  to  regard 
the  things  of  this  world  in  a  proper  light.  Their  notions 
as  to  diet,  for  example,  arise  from  ignorance  as  to  what 
substances  are  fit  and  proper  for  human  food." 

"  As  you  like,"  said  Willis ;  "  but  let  us  be  off;  there 
may  be  more  of  them  lurking  about." 

"  What !  again  without  water  ?." 

"  No,  this  time  I  have  taken  care  to  fill  the  casks ;  the 
canoe  is  laden  with  fresh  water." 

"  Fritz  must  be  very  uneasy  about  us ;  but  this  man 
may  die  if  we  leave  him  so." 

"  Very  likely,"  said  the  Pilot ;  "  but  that  is  no  business 
of  ours." 

"  Good  bye,"  said  Jack,  lifting  up  the  wounded  savage, 
and  propping  him  against  a  tree ;  "  I  may  never  have  the 
pleasure  of  seeing  you  again,  and  am  sorry  to  leave  you 
in  such  a  plight ;  but  it  will  be  a  lesson  for  you,  and  a 
hint  to  be  a  little  more  hospitable  for  the  future  in  your 
reception  of  strangers." 

The  savage  raised  his  eyes  for  an  instant,  as  if  to  thank 
Jack  for  his  good  offices,  and  then  relapsed  into  his  former 
attitude  of  dejection. 

Twenty  minutes  later  the  canoe  was  aboard  the  pinnace. 

"  Fritz,"  said  Jack,  throwing  his  arms  round  his  brother's 
neck,  "  I  am  delighted  to  see  you  again ;  half  an  hour  ago 
I  had  not  the  shadow  of  a  chance  of  ever  beholding  you 
more." 


CHAPTER  XXII. 

THB    UTILITY    OF   ADVERSITY AN    ENCOUNTER  —  T11K     HOBOKEX 

—  BILL  ALIAS   BOB. 

A  LIGHT  but  favorable  breeze  carried  them  away  from 
land,  and  they  were  once  again  on  the  open  sea.  Willis, 
after  a  prolonged  investigation  of  the  sun's  position,  taken 
in  relation  to  some  observations  he  had  made  the  day 
before,  concluded  that  the  best  course  to  pursue,  under 
existing  circumstances,  was  to  steer  for  the  Marian  Islands.* 
In  addition  to  the  distance  they  had  originally  to  traverse, 
all  the  way  lost  during  the  storm  was  now  before  them. 
As  regards  provisions,  they  had  little  to  fear ;  they  could 
rely  upon  falling  in  with  a  boobie  or  sea-cow  occasionally, 
and  fresh  fish  were  to  be  had  at  any  time.  Their  supply 
of  water,  however,  gave  them  some  uneasiness,  for  the 
quantity  was  limited,  and  they  might  be  retarded  by  calms 
and  contrary  winds.  The  chances  of  meeting  a  European 
ship  were  too  slender  to  enter  for  anything  into  their 
calculations. 

"  It  appears  to  me,"  said  Jack,  one  beautiful  evening, 
when  they  were  some  hundreds  of  miles  from  any  habit- 
able spot,  "  that,  having  escaped  so  many  dangers,  the 
watchful  eye  of  Providence  must  be  guarding  us  from 
evil." 

"  Very  possibly,"  replied  Fritz ;  "  one  of  the  early 
chroniclers  of  the  Christian  Church  says  that  Lazarus, 
whom  our  Saviour  resuscitated  at  the  gates  of  Jerusalem, 
became  afterwards  one  of  the  most  popular  preachers  of 
Christianity,  and  in  consequence  the  Jews  regarded  him 
with  implacable  hatred." 

"  But  what,  in  all  the  world,  has  that  to  do  with  the 
Pacific  Ocean  ?  "  inquired  Jack. 

*  Sometimes  called  the  Ladrones  or  Archipelago  of  Saint  Lazanu. 


272  "WILLIS    THE    PILOT. 

"  Very  little  with  the  Pacific  in  particular,  but  a  great 
deal  with  the  ocean  in  general.  Lazarus,  his  sisters,  and 
some  of  his  friends,  were  thrown  into  prison,  tried,  and 
condemned." 

"  And  stoned  or  crucified,"  added  Jack. 

"  No ;  the  high  priest  of  the  temple  had  a  great  variety 
of  punishments  on  hand  besides  these.  He  resolved  to 
expose  them  to  the  mercy  of  the  waves,  without  provisions, 
and  without  a  mast,  sail,  or  rudder." 

"  Thank  goodness,  we  are  not  so  badly  off  as  that." 

"  ffe,  for  whom  Lazarus  suffered,  and  who  is  the  same 
that  nourishes  the  birds  of  the  air  and  feeds  the  beasts  of 
the  field,  watched  over  the  forlorn  craft ;  under  his 
guidance,  the  little  colony  of  martyrs  were  wafted  in  safety 
to  the  fertile  coasts  of  Provence.  They  landed,  according 
to  the  tradition,  at  Marseilles,  of  whom  Lazarus  was  the 
first  bishop,  and  has  always  been  the  patron  saint. 
Who  knows  ?  —  the  same  good  fortune  may  perhaps 
await  us." 

"  We  are  not  martyrs." 

"  True ;  but  Providence  does  not  always  measure  its 
favors  by  the  merits  of  those  upon  whom  they  are 
bestowed  —  misfortune,  alone,  is  often  a  sufficient  claim; 
so  it  is  well  for  us  to  be  patient  under  a  little  suffering, 
for  sweet  often  is  the  re*vard." 

"  A  little  hardship,  now  and  then,"  added  Jack,  "  is,  no 
doubt,  salutary.  The  Italians  say  :  '  Le  awersita  sono  per 
Fanimo  do  ch'  e  un  temporale  per  Faria.'  Suffering  teaches 
us  to  prize  health  and  happiness ;  were  there  no  such 
things  as  pain  and  grief,  we  should  be  apt  to  regard  these 
blessings  as  valueless,  and  to  estimate  them  as  our  legiti- 
mate rights.  For  my  own  part,  I  was  never  so  happy  in 
my  whole  life  as  when  I  embraced  you  the  other  day, 
after  escaping  out  of  the  clutches  of  the  savages." 

"  There  are  many  charms  in  life  that  are  almost  without 
alloy  :  the  perfume  of  flowers  —  music  —  the  singing  of 
birds  —  the  riches  of  art  —  the  intercourse  of  society  —  the 
delights  of  the  family  circle  —  the  treasures  of  imagination 
and  memory.  Some  of  the  most  beneficent  gifts  of 
Nature  we  only  know  the  existence  of  when  we  are 


WILLIS    THE   PILOT.  273 

deprived  of  them  ;  occasional  darkness  alone  enables  us  to 
appreciate  the  unspeakable  blessing  of  light.  Man  has  a 
multitude  of  enjoyments  at  his  command ;  but  so  many 
sweets  would  be  utterly  insipid  without  a  few  bitters." 

u  The  rheumatism,  for  example,"  said  Willis,  rubbing 
his  shoulders. 

"Many  enjoyments,"  continued  Fritz,  "spring  from  the 
heart  alone ;  the  affections,  benevolence,  love  of  order,  a 
sense  of  the  beautiful,  of  truth,  of  honesty,  and  of 
justice." 

"  On  the  other  hand,"  said  Willis,  "  there  are  dishonesty, 
injustice,  disappointment,  and  blighted  hopes  ;  but  you  are 
too  young  to  know  much  about  these.  When  you  have 
seen  as  much  of  the  world  on  sea  and  on  land  as  I  have, 
perhaps  you  will  be  disposed  to  look  at  life  from  another 
point  of  view.  In  old  stagers  like  myself,  the  tender 
emotions  are  all  used  up  ;  it  is  only  when  we  are  amongst 
you  youngsters  that  we  forget  the  present  in  the  past ; 
when  we  see  you  struggling  with  difficulties,  it  recalls  our 
own  trials  to  our  mind,  rouses  in  us  sentiments  of  com- 
miseration, and  softens  the  asperities  of  our  years." 

"  According  to  you,  then,"  said  Fritz,  levelling  his  rifle 
at  a  petrel,  "the  misfortunes  of  the  one  constitute  the 
happiness  of  the  other?" 

"  Unquestionably,"  said  Jack  ;  "for  instance,  if  you  miss 
that  bird,  so  much  the  worse  for  you,  and  so  much  the 
better  for  the  pctn-1." 

"  It  is  very  rarely,  brother,  that  you  do  not  interrupt  a 
serious  conversation  with  some  nonsense." 

"  Keep  your  temper,  Fritz  ;  I  am  about  to  propose  a 
serious  question  myself.  How  is  it  that  the  petrel  you  are 
aiming  at  does  not  come  and  perch  itself  quietly  on  the 
barrel  of  your  rifle  ?" 

"  Jack,  Jack,  you  are  incorrigible." 

"  Did  you  ever  see  a  hare  or  a  pheasant  come  and  stare 
you  in  the  face  when  you  were  going  to  shoot  it  ?  " 

"  Stunsails  and  tops ! "  cried  Willis,  "  if  I  do  not  see 
something  stranger  than  that  staring  us  in  the  face." 

"  The  st-a-v  erpent,  perhaps,"  said  Jack. 

"I    thought    it    was  a    sea  bird    at  first,"    said    Willis, 


27 1  WILLIS    THE    PILOT. 

"  but  they  do  not  increase  in  size  the  longer  you  look  ai 
them." 

"  They  naturally  appear  to  increase  as  they  approach,* 
observed  Fritz. 

"  Yes,  but  the  increase  must  have  a  limit,  and  I  never 
saw  a  bird  with  such  singular  upper-works  before.  Just 
take  a  cast  of  the  glass  yourself,  Master  Fritz." 

"  Halls  of  jEolus  !  "  cried  Fritz,  "these  wings  are  sails.** 

"  So  I  thought ! "  exclaimed  Willis,  throwing  his  sou'- 
wester into  the  air,  and  uttering  a  loud  hurrah. 

"  If  it  is  the  Nelson"  said  Jack,  "  it  would  be  a  singular 
encounter." 

"TheNflsonf"  sighed  Willis, "  in  the  latitude  of  Hawai; 
no,  that  is  impossible." 

"  She  is  bearing  down  upon  us,"  said  Fritz. 

"Just  let  me  see  a  moment  whether  I  can  make  out  her 
figure-head,"  said  Willis.  "  Aye,  aye  !  " 

"  Can  you  make  it  out  ?  " 

"  No ;  but,  from  the  sheer  of  the  hull,  I  think  the  ship 
is  British  built." 

"  Thank  God  ! "  exclaimed  both  the  young  men. 

"Yes,  you  may  say  'Thank  God;'  but,  if  it  turns  out 
to  be  a  man-of-war,  I  must  report  myself  on  board,  and  I 
doubt  whether  my  story  will  go  down  with  the  captain." 

"  But  if  it  is  the  Nelson  ?  "  insisted  Jack. 

"  Aye,  aye  ;  the  Nelson"  replied  Willis,  "  is  not  going 
to  turn  up  here  to  oblige  us,  you  may  take  my  word  for 
that." 

"  I  have  better  eyes  than  you,  Willis  ;  just  let  me  see  if 
I  can  make  her  out.  No,  impossible ;  nothing  but  the 
hull  and  sails." 

"  It  is  just  possible,"  persisted  Jack,  "  that  the  Nelson 
may  have  been  detained  at  the  Cape,  and  afterwards 
blown  out  of  her  course  like  ourselves." 

"All  I  can  say  is,"  replied  Willis,  "that  if  Captain 
Littlestone  be  on  board  that  ship,  it  will  make  me  the 
happiest  man  that  ever  mixed  a  ration  of  grog.  But  these 
thing;  only  turn  up  in  novels,  so  it  is  no  use  talking." 

"  She  has  hoisted  a  flag  at  the  mizzen,"  cried  Fritz. 

"  Can  you  make  it  out  ?  " 


WILLIS   THB    PILOT.  275 

*  Well,  let  me  see  —  yes,  it  must  be  so." 

"  What,  the  Union  Jack  ?  "  cried  Willis. 

"  No,  a  red  ground  striped  with  blue." 

"  The  United  States,  as  I  am  a  sinner !  "  cried  Willis. 
"  Well,  it  might  have  been  worse.  We  can  go  to  America ; 
there  are  surgeons  there  as  well  as  in  Europe  —  at  all 
events,  we  can  get  a  ship  there  for  England.  But  let  me 
see,  we  must  hoist  a  bit  of  bunting ;  unfortunately,  we 
have  only  British  colors  aboard,  and  I  am  afraid  they  are 
not  in  particularly  high  favor  with  our  Yankee  cousins 
just  now." 

"  Never  mind  a  flag,"  said  Fritz. 

"  Oh,  that  will  never  do,  they  have  hoisted  a  flag  and 
are  waiting  a  reply.  But  let  me  see,"  added  Willis,  rum- 
maging amongst  some  stores,  "  here  is  one  of  our  Shark's 
Island  signals  —  that,  I  think,  will  puzzle  the  Yankee  con- 
siderably." 

The  Pilot's  signal  was  answered  by  a  gun,  the  report 
of  which  rang  through  the  air.  The  strange  ship's  sails 
were  thrown  back  and  she  stood  still.  A  boat  then  put 
off  with  a  young  man  in  uniform  and  six  rowers  on  board. 

"  Pinnace  ahoy  !  "  cried  the  officer  through  a  speaking 
trumpet,  "  who  are  you  ?  " 

"  Shipwrecked  mariners,"  cried  Fritz,  in  reply. 

"  What  is  the  name  of  your  craft  ?  " 

"The  Mary." 

"  What  country  ?  " 

"  Switzerland." 

"  I  was  not  aware  that  Switzerland  was  a  naval  power," 
observed  Willis. 

"  She  has  no  seaport,"  said  Jack,  "  but  she  has  a  fleet 
—  of  row  boats." 

"  Where  do  you  hail  from  ?  "  inquired  the  officer. 

"New  Switzerland." 

"  That  gentleman  is  very  curious,"  observed  Jack. 

Here  a  silence  of  some  minutes  ensued ;  the  officer 
seemed  at  fault  in  his  geography. 

"  Where  away  ?  "  at  last  resounded  from  the  trumpet. 

"  Bound  for  Europe,"  replied  Fritz. 

This  reply  elicited  an  expression  of  doubt,  accompanied 


276  WILLIS  THB  PILOT. 

with  such  a  tremendous  exjurgation  as  made  both  Fritz 
and  Jack  almost  shrink  into  the  hold. 

A  few  minutes  after  the  Yankee  in  command  stepped 
on  board,  and  explanations  were  entered  into  that  perfectly 
satisfied  the  republican  officer.  He  continued,  however, 
to  eye  Willis  curiously. 

The  Hoboken,  for  that  was  the  name  of  the  strange  ship, 
was  an  American  cruiser,  carrying  twelve  ship  guns  and  a 
long  paixhan.  She  was  attached  to  the  Chinese  station, 
but  had  recently  obtained  information  that  war  had  been 
declared  between  England  and  the  States.  She  was  now 
making  her  way  to  the  west  by  a  circuitous  route  to  avoid 
the  British  squadron,  and,  at  the  same  time,  with  a  view  to 
pick  up  an  English  merchantman  or  two. 

Fritz  and  Jack  being  citizens  of  a  sister  republic,  and 
subjects  of  a  neutral  power,  were  received  on  board  with 
a  hearty  welcome,  and  with  the  hospitality  due  to  their 
interesting  position.  Willis  also  received  some  attention, 
and  was  treated  with  all  the  courtesy  that  could  be  shown 
to  the  native  of  an  enemy's  country. 

The  pinnace  was  taken  in  tow  till  the  young  men  made 
up  their  minds  as  to  the  course  they  would  adopt.  A  free 
passage  to  the  States  was  kindly  offered  to  them,  and  even 
pressed  upon  their  acceptance  ;  but  the  captain  left  the 
matter  entirely  to  their  own  option. 

Fritz  and  Jack  were  delighted  with  the  warmth  of  their 
reception  ;  and,  after  being  so  long  cooped  up  in  the  narrow 
quarters  of  the  pinnace,  looked  upon  the  Yankee  cruiser, 
with  its  men  and  officers  in  uniform,  as  a  sort  of  floating 
palace.  The  Nelson  having  been  only  a  despatch-boat,  it 
had  given  them  but  an  indifferent  idea  of  a  man-of-war. 
On  board  the  Yankee  everything  was  kept  in  apple-pie 
order.  Discipline  was  maintained  with  martinet  strictness. 
The  fittings  shone  like  a  mirror.  The  brass  cappings 
glistened  in  the  sun.  Complicated  rolls  of  cable  were 
profusely  scattered  about,  but  without  confusion.  The 
deck  always  seemed  as  fresh  as  if  it  had  been  planked  the 
day  before.  The  sails  overhead  seemed  to  obey  the  word 
of  command  of  their  own  accord.  The  boatswain's  whistle 
seemed  to  act  upon  the  men  like  electricity.  The  seamen's 


WLLLIS   THE   PILOT.  277 

cabins,  six  feet  long  by  six  feet  broad,  in  which  a  hammock, 
locker,  and  washing  apparatus  were  conveniently  stowed, 
were  something  very  different  from  the  accommodation  on 
board  the  pinnace.  These  things  were  regarded  by  Fritz 
and  Jack  with  great  interest ;  and  nowhere  is  the  genius 
of  man  so  brilliantly  displayed  as  on  board  a  well-appointed 
ship  of  war. 

The  young  men,  however,  when  they  sat  down  to  dinner 
in  the  captain's  cabin,  and  beheld  a  long  table  flanked  with 
cushioned  seats,  commanded  at  each  end  by  arm-chairs, 
the  side-board  plentifully  garnished  with  plate  and  crystal 
of  various  kinds,  fastened  with  copper  nails  to  prevent 
damage  from  the  ship's  pitching,  they  did  not  reflect  that 
they  were  in  the  crater  of  a  volcano,  and  that  two  paces 
from  where  they  sat  there  was  powder  enough  to  blow  the 
ship  and  all  its  crew  up  into  the  air. 

They  were  likewise  highly  amused  by  the  perpetual 
"  guessing,"  "  calculating,"  "  reckoning,"  and  inexhaustible 
curiosity  of  the  crew  ;  but  their  admiration  of  the  ship,  her 
guns,  her  stores,  and  her  tackle,  were  boundless ;  they  felt 
that  their  pinnace  was  a  mere  toy  in  comparison.  The 
urbanity  of  the  officers  also  was  a  source  of  much  grati- 
fication to  them  ;  Jack  even  declared  that  all  the  civilization 
of  Europe  had.  been  shipped  on  board  the  Jloboken,  and 
in  so  far  as  that  was  concerned,  they  had  no  occasion  to 
go  on  much  further. 

The  object  of  this  expedition,  however,  was  a  surgeon. 
There  was  one  on  board.  .  Would  he  go  to  New  Switzer- 
land ?  Jack  determined  to  try,  and  accordingly  he  walked 
straight  off  to  the  personage  in  question. 

"  Doctor,"  said  he,  "  would  you  do  myself  and  my 
brother  a  great  favor  ?  " 

"  Certainly ;  and,  if  it  is  in  my  power,  you  may  consider 
it  done." 

"Well,  will  you  embark  with  us  for  New  Switzerland?" 

"For  what  purpose,  my  friend  ?  " 

"  My  mother  is  laboring  under  a  malady,  which  there  is 
every  reason  to  fear  is  cancer." 

"  And  suppose  a  fuver  was  to  break  out  in  this  ship, 
24 


278  WILLIS    THE    PILOT. 

whilst  I  am  absent,  what  do  you  imagine  is  to  become  of 
the  officers  and  crew  ?  " 

"  There  are  no  symptoms  of  disease  on  board ;  but  my 
mother  is  dying." 

"  You  forget,  young  man,  that  disease  may  make  its  ap- 
pearance at  any  moment.  There  are  many  sons  on  board 
whose  lives  are  as  dear  to  their  mothers  as  your  mother's 
is  to  you,  and  for  every  one  of  these  lives  I  am  officially 
accountable." 

Jack  hung  down  his  head  and  was  silent. 

"  No,  my  good  friend,  it  is  impossible  for  me  to  grant 
such  a  request ;  but,  from  what  I  know  of  your  history, 
and  the  means  at  your  command,  you  may  be  able  to  ob- 
tain the  services  of  a  competent  medical  man.  I  would, 
therefore,  recommend  you  to  abandon  your  boat,  and  pro- 
ceed with  us  to  our  destination." 

After  a  lengthy  consultation,  the  two  brothers  and  Wil- 
lis determined  to  adopt  this  course.  The  cargo  of  the 
pinnace  was  accordingly  transferred  to  the  hold  of  the 
Hoboiken.  A  short  summary  of  their  history  was  written, 
corked  up  in  a  bottle,  and  fastened  to  the  mast  of  the 
Mary,  which  was  then  cut  adrift.  A  tear  gathered  on  the 
cheeks  of  the  young  men  as  they  saw  their  old  friend  in 
adversity  dropping  slowly  behind,  and  they  did  not  with- 
draw their  eyes  from  it  till  every  vestige  of  its  hull  was 
lost  in  the  shadows  of  the  waters. 

As  Fritz  and  Jack  were  thus  engaged  in  gazing  listless- 
ly on  the  ocean,  and  reflecting  upon  their  altered  pros- 
pects, and  perhaps  trying  to  penetrate  the  veil  of  the  fu- 
ture, Willis  came  towards  them  rubbing  his  breast,  as  if 
he  had  been  seized  with  a  violent  internal  spasm. 

"  Hilloa,"  cried  Jack,  "  the  Pilot  is  sea-sick !  Shall  I 
run  for  some  brandy,  Willis  ?  " 

"  No,  stop  a  bit ;  we  were  in  hopes  of  falling  in  with 
Captain  Littlestone,  were  we  not  ?  " 

"  Yes ;  but  what  then  ?  " 

"  We  were  disappointed,  were  we  not  ?  :' 

"  Yes.     That  has  not  made  you  ill,  has  it  ?  " 

"  No  ;  somebody  else  has  turned  up ;  there  is  one  of  the 
Nelson's  crew  on  board  this  ship." 


WILLIS    THE   PILOT.  279 

"  One  of  the  Nelson 's  crew  ?  " 

"  Aye,  and  if  you  only  knew  how  my  heart  beat  when 
I  saw  him." 

a  I  can  easily  conceive  your  feelings,"  said  Jack,  "  for 
my  own  heart  has  almost  leaped  into  my  mouth." 

"And  I  am  thunderstruck,"  added  Fritz. 

"I  went  towards  my  old  friend,"  continued  Willis, 
"  with  tears  in  my  eyes,  threw  my  arms  round  him,  and 
gave  him  a  hearty  but  affectionate  hug." 

"  And  what  did  he  say  ?  " 

"  Nothing,  at  first ;  but,  as  soon  as  I  left  his  arms  at 
liberty,  he  gave  me  such  a  punch  in  the  ribs  as  almost 
doubled  me  in  two ;  it  was  enough  to  knock  the  in'arda 
out  of  a  rhinoceros  —  ugh  !  " 

"A  blow  in  earnest?"  exclaimed  Fritz  in  astonishment. 

"  Yes ;  there  was  no  mistake  about  it ;  it  was  a  real, 
good,  earnest  John  Bull  knock-down  thump ;  it  put  me  in 
mind  of  Portsmouth  on  a  pay  day  —  ugh  !  " 

"  Extremely  touching,"  said  Jack,  smiling. 

"  Then,  when  I  called  him  by  his  name  Bill  Stubbs, 
and  asked  what  had  become  of  the  sloop,  he  said  that  he 
knew  nothing  at  all  about  the  sloop,  and  swore  that  he  had 
never  set  his  eyes  on  my  figure-head  before,  the  varmint 
—  ugh!" 

"  Odd,"  remarked  Jack. 

"  Are  yon  sure  of  your  man  ?  "  inquired  Fritz. 

"  But  you  say  his  name  is  Bill,  whilst  he  declares  his 
name  is  Bob." 

"  Aye,  he  has  evidently  been  up  to  some  mischief,  and 
changed  his  ticket." 

"  Then  what  conclusion  do  you  draw  from  the  affair." 

"  I  am  completely  bewildered,  and  scarcely  know  what 
to  think ;  perhaps  the  crew  has  mutinied,  and  turned  Cap- 
tain Littlestone  adrift  on  a  desert  island.  That  is  some- 
times done.  Perhaps " 

"It  is  no  use  perhapsing  those  sort  of  melancholy 
things,"  said  Fritz ;  "  we  may  as  well  suppose,  for  the 
present,  that  Captain  Littlestone  is  safe,  and  that  your 
friend  has  been  put  on  shore  for  some  misdemeanour." 

"  May  be,  may  be,  Master  Fritz ;  and  I  hope  and  trust 


280  WILLIS    THE    PILOT. 

it  is  so.  But  to  have  an  old  comrade  amongst  us,  who 
could  give  us  all  the  information  we  want,  and  yet  not  to 
be  able  to  get  a  single  thing  out  of  him " 

"  Except  a  punch  in  the  ribs,"  suggested  Jack. 

"  Exactly ;  and  a  punch  that  will  not  let  me  forget  the 
lubber  in  a  hurry,"  added  Willis,  clenching  his  fist ;  "  but 
I  intend,  in  the  meantime,  to  keep  my  weather  eye  open." 

A  few  weeks  after  this  episode  the  Hoboken  was  slowly 
wending  her  way  along  the  bights  of  the  Bahamas.  Fritz, 
Jack,  and  Willis  were  walking  and  chatting  on  the  quarter- 
deck." The  sky  was  of  a  deep  azure.  The  sea  was  cov- 
ered with  herbs  and  flowers  as  far  as  the  eye  could  reach 
—  sometimes  in  compact  masses  of  several  miles  in  extent, 
and  at  other  times  in  long  straight  ribbons,  as  regular  as 
if  they  had  been  spread  by  some  West  Indian  Le  Notre. 
The  ship  seemed  merely  displaying  her  graces  in  the  sun- 
shine, so  gentle  was  she  moving  in  the  water.  The  air 
was  laden  'with  perfumes,  and  a  soft  dreamy  languor  stole 
over  the  friends,  which  they  were  trying  in  vain  to  shake 
off.  In  one  direction  rose  the  misty  heights  of  St.  Domin- 
go, and  in  another  the  cloud-capped  summits  of  Cuba. 
Sometimes  the  highest  peaks  of  the  latter  pierced  the  veil 
that  enveloped  them,  and  seemed  like  islands  floating  in 
the  sky,  or  heads  of  a  race  of  giants. 

"  The  air  here  is  almost  as  balmy  and  fragant  as  that  of 
New  Switzerland,"  remarked  Fritz. 

"Aye,  aye,"  said  the  Pilot ;  "  but  it  is  not  all  gold  that 
glitters :  in  these  sweet  smells  a  nasty  fever  is  concealed, 
with  which  I  have  no  wish  to  renew  my  acquaintance." 

"  By  the  way,  talking  about  acquaintances,  Willis,  have 
you  obtained  any  farther  intelligence  from  your  friend  Bill, 
alias  Bob  ?  "  inquired  Jack. 

"  No,  not  a  syllable ;  the  viper  is  as  cunning  as  a  fox, 
and  keeps  his  mouth  as  close  as  a  mouse-trap." 

"  He  seems  as  obstinate  as  a  mule,  and  as  obdurate  as  a 
Chinaman  into  the  bargain." 

"All  thtit,  and  more  than  that;  but,"  added  Willis,  "I 
have  found  out  from  the  mate  that  he  was  pressed  on 
board  this  ship  at  New  Orleans." 

"  Pressed  on  board  'i  "  said  Fritz,  inquiringly. 


WILLIS    THE    PILOT.  281 

"Yes  ;  that  is  a  mode  of  recruiting  for  the  navy  pecu- 
liar to  England  and  the  United  States.  Would  you  like 
to  hear  something  about  how  the  system  is  carried  out  ?  " 

"  Yes,  Willis,  very  much." 

"  The  transactions,  however,  fhat  I  shall  have  to  relate 
are  in  no  way  creditable,  either  to  myself  or  anybody  else 
connected  with  them  ;  and  I  am  afraid,  when  you  hear  the 
particulars,  you  will  be  ready  to  turn  round  and  say,  your 
friend  the  Pilot  is  no  good  after  all." 

"  Have  you,  then,  been  desperately  wicked,  Willis?" 

"  Well,  that  depends  entirely  upon  the  view  you  take 
of  what  I  am  to  tell  you.     Listen." 
24* 


CHAPTER   XXIII. 

IN    WHICH   WILLIS    SHOWS,    THAT    THE    TERM    PRESS-GANG    MEANS 
SOMETHING    ELSE    BESIDES    THE    GENTLEMK\    OF   THE    PRESS. 

"  WHEN  I  was  a  youngster,  about  a  year  or  two  older 
than  you  are  now,  Master  Fritz,  I  shipped  on  board  the 
brig  Norfolk  as  boatswain's  mate.  The  ship  at  the  time 
was  short  of  hands,  so  there  was  no  immediate  probability 
of  her  weighing  anchor ;  but  on  the  same  day  I  scratched 
my  name  on  the  books  a  despatch  arrived,  in  consequence 
of  which  we  left  the  harbor,  and  proceeded  out  to  sea  under 
sealed  orders.  One  day,  when  off  the  Irish  coast,  I  was 
called  aft  by  the  first  lieutenant. 

" '  You  know  something  of  Cork,  my  man,  I  believe  ? ' 
said  he. 

" '  Yes,  your  honor,  I  have  been  ashore  there  once  or 
twice,'  said  I. 

" '  Very  good,'  said  he ;  '  get  ready  to  go  ashore  there 
again  as  quick  as  you  like.' 

"  Leave  to  go  on  shore  is  always  agreeable  to  a  sailor. 
He  prefers  the  sea,  but  likes  to  stretch  himself  on  land 
now  and  then,  just  to  enjoy  a  change  of  air,  and  look  about 
him  a  bit;  so  it  was  with  all  possible  expedition  that  I 
made  the  requisite  preparations. 

"  When  I  re-appeared,  I  found  a  party  of  twenty  men 
mustered  on  deck  in  pipe-clay  order.  A  full  ration  of 
small  arms  was  served  out  to  them,  and,  under  the  com- 
mand of  the  lieutenant,  we  embarked  in  the  long-boat  and 
rowed  ashore.  We  landed  at  a  point  of  the  coast  some 
miles  distant  from  Cork,  and  it  was  dark  before  we  reached 
the  military  barracks  of  that  town,  which,  for  the  present, 
appeared  to  be  our  destination. 

"  I  had  not  the  slightest  idea  of  what  we  were  to  do  on 
shore.  From  our  being  s?o  heavily  armed,  I  knew  it  was 


"WILLIS    THE   PILOT.  283 

no  mere  escort  or  parade  duty  that  was  in  question,  and 
began  to  think  there  was  work  of  some  kind  on  hand. 
This  gave  me  no  kind  of  uneasiness.  I  only  wondered 
whatever  it  could  be,  for  there  was  clearly  a  mystery  of 
some  kind  or  other.  Were  we  going  to  besiege  Paddy,  in 
his  own  peaceable  city  of  Cork  ?  Had  some  of  the  peep- 
o'-day  boys  been  burning  down  farmer  Magrath's  ricks 
again  ?  or  was  there  a  private  still  to  be  routed  out  and 
demolished  ?  I  could  not  tell. 

"  Half  an  hour  after  our  arrival,  I  was  called  into  a  pri- 
vate room  by  the  lieutenant,  who  was  seated  at  a  table 
•with  a  package  of  clothes  beside  him.  The  first  lieutenant 
of  the  Norfolk,  I  must  remark,  was  a  bit  of  an  original. 
He  had  won  his  way  up  to  the  rank  he  then  held  from 
before  the  mast.  His  build  was  rather  squat,  and  his  face 
was  garnished  with  a  pair  of  fiery  red  whiskers,  so  he  was 
no  beauty,  added  to  which  he  was  reckoned  one  of  the 
most  rigid  martinets  in  the  service ;  yet,  for  all  that,  his 
crew  liked  him,  for  they  knew  his  heart  was  in  the  right 
place. 

" '  See,  my  man,'  said  he,  '  take  this  package,  and  rig 
yourself  out  in  the  toggery  it  contains.' 

"I  obeyed  this  order,  and  soon  after  stood  before  him, 
in  a  pair  of  jack -boots,  with  a  slouching  sort  of  tarpauling 
hat  on  my  head,  so  that  I  might  either  have  passed  for  a 
mariner  out  of  luck  or  a  dustman. 

"  '  Well,'  said  the  lieutenant,  laughing,  '  now  you  have 
quite  the  air  of  the  hulks  about  you.' 

"  This  remark  not  being  very  complimentary,  I  did  not 
feel  called  upon  to  make  any  reply. 

"  '  You  know,'  he  continued,  '  that  the  brig  is  short  about 
a  dozen  hands,  and  I  want  you  to  pick  up  a  few  likely  lads 
here.  I  understand  there  are  a  number  of  able-bodied 
seamen  skulking  about  the  public-houses,  where  they  will 
likely  remain  as  long  as  their  money  lasts.  I  should  like 
to  secure  as  many  of  them  as  possible,  and  then  capture  a 
few  stout  landsmen  to  make  up  the  number ;  but,  in  the 
first  place,  I  want  you  to  go  and  find  out  the  best  place  to 
make  a  razzia.' 

"  I  stared  when  I  found  myself  all  at  once  promoted  to 


284  WILLIS    THE    PILOT. 

the  post  of  pioneer  for  a  party  of  kidnappers,  and  muttered 
something  or  other  about  honor. 

" '  Honor,  sir ! '  roared  the  lieutenant, '  what  has  honor 
to  do  with  it,  sir  ?  It  is  duty,  sir.  It  is  the  laws  of  the 
service,  sir,  and  you  must  obey  them,  sir.' 

" '  But  it  is  hard,  your  honor,'  said  I,  '  that  the  laws 
of  the  service  should  force  men  to  do  what  they  think  is 
wrong.' 

"  'And  what  right,  sir,  have  you  to  think  it  is  wrong,  or 
to  judge  the  acts  of  your  superiors  ?  If  the  laws  of  the 
service  order  you  fifty  lashes  at  the  yard-arm  to-morrow, 
you  will  find  that  you  will  get  them.  Do  you  want  to  be 
handed  over  to  the  drummer,  and  to  cultivate  an  acquaint- 
ance with  the  cat?' 

'" '  No,  your  honor,'  said  I,  laughing. 

"  The  lieutenant's  face  by  this  time  was  as  red  as  his 
whiskers,  and,  though  he  was  in  a  towering  rage,  he 
quickly  calmed  down  again,  like  boiling  milk  when  it  is 
taken  off  the  fire. 

" '  Then,'  said  he,  quietly,  '  am  I  to  understand  you 
refuse  ? ' 

" '  No,  your  honor,'  said  I.  '  If  it  is  my  duty,  I  must 
obey ;  but  you  will  pardon  the  liberty,  when  I  say  that  it 
is  hard  to  be  forced  to  drag  away  a  lot  of  poor  fellows 
against  their  wills.' 

" '  Look  ye,'  replied  the  lieutenant, '  I  tolerate  your  free- 
dom of  speech  for  two  reasons — the  first,  because  we  are 
here  alone,  and  no  harm  is  done ;  the  second,  because  I 
entertain  the  same  opinion  myself;  but,  mind  you,  we  are 
both  bound  by  the  regulations  of  the  service,  and  it  is 
mutiny  for  either  of  us  to  disobey.' 

"  According  to  the  moral  law,  the  mission  with  which  I 
was  charged  could  scarcely  be  considered  honorable ;  but, 
according  to  the  laws  of  the  land,  or  rather  of  the  sea,  it 
was  perfectly  unexceptionable.  Amongst  the  seamen,  a 
foray  amongst  the  landlubbers  was  regarded  more  in  the 
light  of  a  spree  than  anything  else.  If,  indeed,  it  were 
possible  to  pick  up  the  lazy  and  idle  amongst  the  popula- 
tion, this  mode  of  enlistment  might  be  useful ;  but  often  the 
industrious  head  of  a  family  was  seized,  whilst  the  idle 


WILLIS    THE    PILOT.  2-S5 

escaped.  It  was  rare,  however,  that  a  ship's  crew  were 
employed  in  this  sort  of  duty;  men  were  more  usually 
obtained  through  the  crimps  on  shore,  who  often  fearfully 
abused  the  authority  with  which  they  were  invested  for 
the  purpose.  As  for  myself,  the  lieutenant's  arguments 
removed  all  my  scruples,  if  I  ever  had  any. 

"I  then  suggested  a  plan  of  operations,  which  was  ap- 
proved. The  men  were  to  be  kept  ready  for  action,  and 
the  lieutenant  himself  was  to  await  my  report  at  the 
*  Green  Dragon,'  one  of  the  hotels  in  the  town. 

"At  that  time  there  was  in  the  outskirts  of  Cork  a  sort 
of  tavern  and  lodging-house,  called  the  'Molly  Bawn.' 
This  establishment  was  frequented  by  the  lowest  class  of 
seamen  and  '  tramps.'  Thither  I  wended  my  way.  It  was 
late  when  I  arrived  in  front  of  the  place  ;  and  whilst  hesi- 
tating whether  I  should  venture  into  such  a  precious  me- 
nagerie, 3  happened  to  look  round,  and,  by  the  light  of  a 
dim  lamp  that  burned  at  the  corner  of  the  street,  I  caught 
a  glimpse  of  the  lieutenant  leaning  against  the  wall,  quietly 
smoking  an  Irish  dudeen." 

"  Like  Rono  the  Great  in  the  island  of  Hawai,"  sug- 
gested Jack. 

"  Something.  This,  however,  cut  short  my  deliberations. 
I  walked  in.  There  was  a  crowd  of  men  and  women 
drinking  and  smoking  about  the  bar.  These,  however, 
were  not  the  people  I  sought.  The  regular  tenants  of  the 
house  were  not  amongst  that  lot.  and  it  was  essential  for 
me  to  find  out  in  what  part  of  the  premises  they  were 
stowed.  I  commenced  proceedings  by  ordering  a  noggin 
of  whisky,  and  making  love  to  the  damsel  that  brought  it 
in.  After  having  formally  made  her  an  offer  of  marriage, 
I  asked  after  the  landlord.  She  told  me  he  was  engaged 
with  some  customers,  but  offered  to  take  a  message  to  him. 

"'Then,'  said  I,  'just  tell  him  that  a  friend  of  One-eyed 
Dick's  would  like  to  have  a  parley  with  him.' " 

"And  who  was  One-eyed  Dick  ?"  inquired  Fritz. 

"  One  of  the  crew  of  a  piratical  craft  captured  by  one 
of  our  cruisers  a  few  months  before,  and  who  at  that  time 
was  safely  lodged  in  Portsmouth  jail. 

"  The  girl  soon  returned.     She  told  me  fo  walk  with 


286  WILLIS    THE    PILOT. 

her,  and  led  me  through  some  narrow  passages  into  what 
appeared  to  be  another  house.  She  knocked  at  a  door 
that  was  strongly  barred  and  fastened  inside.  A  slight 
glance  at  these  precautions  made  me  aware  that  there  was 
no  chance  of  making  a  capture  here  without  creating  a 
great  disturbance.  So,  after  reflecting  an  instant,  I  decided 
upon  adopting  some  other  course. 

"  When  the  door  was  opened  I  could  see  nothing  dis- 
tinctly ;  there  was  a  turf-fire  throwing  a  red  glare  out  of 
the  chimney,  a  dim  oil-lamp  hung  from  the  roof,  but 
everything  was  hidden  in  a  dense  cloud  of  tobacco  smoke, 
through  which  the  light  was  not  sufficiently  powerful  to 
penetrate." 

"  The  atmosphere  must  have  been  stifling,"  observed 
Fritz, 

"  Yes,  it  puts  me  in  mind  of  your  remark  about  the  air, 
which,  you  said,  consists  of —  let  me  see " 

"  Oxygen  and  hydrogen." 

"  Just  so ;  but  the  air  a  sailor  breathes  when  he  is  at 
home  consists  almost  entirely  of  tobacco  smoke.  At  last, 
I  could  make  out  twenty  or  thirty  rough-looking  fellows 
seated  on  each  side  of  a  long  deal  table  covered  with 
bottles,  glasses,  and  pipes.  Dan  Hooligan,  the  landlord, 
sat  at  the  top  —  a  fit  president  for  such  an  assembly.  He 
was  partly  a  smuggler,  partly  a  publican,  and  wholly  a 
sinner.  I  should  say  that  the  liquor  consumed  at  that 
table  did  not  much  good  to  the  revenue.  How  Dan 
contrived  to  escape  the  laws,  was  a  mystery  perhaps  best 
known  to  the  police." 

" '  .50  you  are  a  pal  of  One-eyed  Dick's,  are  you  ? ' 
said  he. 

"  '  Rather,'  said  I,  adopting  the  slang  of  the  place. 

"  '  Well,'  said  he,  '  Dick  has  been  a  good  customer  of 
mine,  and  all  his  pals  are  welcome  at  the  '  Molly.'  I  have 
not  seen  him  lately,  however  —  how  goes  it  with  him 
now  ? ' 

" '  Right  as  a  trivet,'  said  I,  '  and  making  lots  of 
rhino.' 

" '  Glad  to  hear  it ;  and  what  latitude  does  he  hail  in 
now?' 


THE   PILOT.  287 

** 4  That,'  said  I, '  is  private  and  confidential.' 

"  *  Oh/  said  he,  '  there  are  no  outsiders  here,  we  are  all 
•worn  friends  of  Dick's,  every  mother's  son  of  us.' 

" '  Then/  said  I,  '  Dick  is  off  the  Cove  in  the  schooner 
Nancy,  of  Brest.' " 

"  Holloa,  Willis,"  cried  Jack,  "  there  was  a  fib ! " 

"  Well,  I  told  you  to  look  out  for  something  of  that  sort 
when  I  began." 

"' What !'  cried  the  landlord,  '  Dick  in  a  schooner  off 
the  Irish  coast  ? ' 

"  '  Yes/  said  I ;  '  and  aboard  that  schooner  there  is  as 
tight  a  cargo  of  brandy  and  tobacco  as  ever  you  set  eyes 
upon.' 

"Here  the  landlord  pricked  up  his  ears,  and  the  rest  of 
the  company  began  to  listen  attentively.  The  fellow  that 
sat  next  me  coolly  told  me  that  both  he  and  Dick  had 
been  lagged  for  horse-stealing,  and  had  subsequently 
broken  out  of  prison  and  escaped.  He  further  told  me 
that  most  of  the  gentlemen  present  had  been  all,  one  way 
or  another,  mixed  up  with  Dick's  doings ;  from  which  I 
concluded  they  were  a  rare  parcel  of  scamps,  and  resolved, 
within  myself,  to  try  and  bag  the  whole  squad.  They 
were  all  stout  fellows  enough,  most  of  them  seamen.  I 
thought  they  might  be  able  to  'do  the  State  some  service/ 
and  determined  to  convert  them  into  honest  men,  if  I 
could.' 

u '  Dick  cannot  come  ashore/  said  I ;  '  some  one  of  his 
old  pals  here  has  peached,  and  there  is  a  warrant  out 
against  him.' 

"  This  information  threw  the  assembly  into  a  state  of 
violent  commotion.  They  rose  up,  and  swore  terrible 
vengeance  against  the  head  of  the  unfortunate  culprit 
when  they  caught  him.  The  oaths  rather  alarmed  me  at 
first,  for  they  were  of  a  most  ferocious  stamp. 

"  '  Yes/  continued  I,  '  Dick  is  aboard  the  schooner,  but, 
as  there  are  two  or  three,  warrants  out  against  him,  he 
does  not  care  about  coming  ashore ;  so  said  he  to  me, 
'  We  want  a  lugger  and  a  few  hands  to  run  the  cargo 
ashore ;  and  if  you  look  in  at  the  '  Molly/  and  see  my 
old  pal,  Dan,  perhaps  you  will  find  some  lads  there  willing 


288  WILLIS    THE    PILOT. 

to  give  us  a  turn.  The  captain  said,  if  the  thing  was  dona 
clean  off,  he  would  stand  something  handsome." 

"  '  Just  the  thing  for  us ! '  shouted  half  a  dozen  voices. 

"  '  But  the  lugger  ? '  said  I. 

" '  Oh,  Phil  Doolan,  at  the  Cove,  has  a  craft  that  has 
landed  as  many  cargoes  as  there  are  planks  in  her  hull. 
Besides,  he  has  stowage  for  a  fleet  of  East  Indiamen.' 

" '  Well,  gentlemen,"  said  I,  '  the  chaplain,  One-eyed 
Dick,  and  myself,  will  be  at  Phil  Doolan's  to-morrow  at 
midnight ;  do  you  agree  to  meet  us  there  ? ' 

"  This  question  was  answered  by  a  universal  'Yes;' 
and  by  way  of  clenching  the  affair,  I  ordered  a  couple  of 
gallons  of  the  stiffest  potheen  in  the  house.  This  was 
received  with  three  cheers,  and  before  I  left  the  '  Molly ' 
every  man-jack  of  them  had  disappeared  under  the  table. 
Dan  himself,  however,  kept  tolerably  sober,  and  promised, 
on  account  of  his  friendship  for  One-eyed  Dick,  to  have  the 
whole  kit  safe  at  Phil  Doolan's  by  twelve  o'clock  next 
night,  and  with  this  assurance  I  made  my  exit  from  the 
premises,  and  steered  for  the  '  George  and  Dragon.' 

"  The  lieutenant  agreed  with  me  in  thinking  that  it 
would  cause  too  much  uproar  to  attack  the  '  Molly  Bawn.' 
He  congratulated  me  on  my  success  in  laying  a  trap  for 
the  people,  and  promising  to  meet  me  at  the  Cove,  he 
ordered  a  car,  and  drove  off  in  the  direction  of  the  Norfolk's 
boat.  Early  next  morning  I  started  to  reconnoitre  the 
ground  and  organize  my  'plan  of  operations.  I  found 
Phil  Doolan's  mansion  to  be  a  mud-built  tenement, 
larger,-  and  standing  apart  from,  the  houses  that  then 
constituted  the  village.  It  was  ostensibly  a  sailor's  lodging- 
house  and  tavern  for  wayfarers,  but,  like  the  'Molly 
Bawn,'  was  in  reality  a  rendezvous  of  smugglers,  occasion- 
ally patronized  by  fugitive  poachers  and  patriots.  It  waa 
known  to  its  familiars  as  '  The  Crib,'  but  was  registered 
by  the  authorities  as  the  '  Father  Mahony,'  who  was 
represented  on  the  sign-post  by  a  full-length  portrait  of 
James  the  Second.  What  gave  me  most  satisfaction  was 
to  observe  that  the  building  was  conveniently  situated  for 
a  sack. 

"  When  night  set  in  I  marched  the  Norfolk's  men  in 


WILLIS    THE    PILOT.  289 

dose  order,  and  as  secretly  as  possible,  to  the  Cove. 
Approaching  Phil  Doolan's  in  one  direction,  I  could  just 
catch  a  glimpse  of  the  red  coats  of  a  file  of  marines 
advancing  in  another,  with  the  lieutenant  at  their  head, 
and,  exactly  as  twelve  o'clock  struck  on  the  parish  clock, 
the  '  Father  Mahony '  was  surrounded  on  all  sides  by 
armed  men.  Two  or  three  lanterns  were  now  lit,  and 
dispositions  made  to  close  up  every  avenue  of  escape. 

"  '  There  he  is ! '  cried  Willis,  interrupting  himself,  and 
staring  into  the  air. 

"  Who  ?  "  inquired  Jack  —  «  Phil  Doolan  ?" 

«No  —  Bill  Stubbs,  late  of  the  Nelson." 

"Where?" 

"  That  squat,  broad-shouldered  man  there,  bracing  the 
maintops." 

"  Yes,  now  that  you  point  him  out,  I  think  I  have  seen 
Kim  before,"  said  Fritz. 

"  Holloa,  Bill,"  cried  Jack. 

'  You  see,"  said  Willis,  "  he  turned  his  head." 

'  How  d'ye  do,  Bill  ?  "  added  Jack. 

'Are  you  speaking  to  me,  sir?"  inquired  the  sailor. 

<  Yes,  Bill." 

'Then  was  your  honor  present  when  I  was  christened? 
I  appear  to  have  forgotten  my  name  for  the  last  six-and 
thirty  years." 

"  No  use,  you  see,"  said  Willis  ;  "  he  is  too  old  a  bird 
to  be  caught  by  any  of  these  dodges.  But  I  have  lost 
the  thread  of  my  discourse." 

"You  had  surrounded  the  cabin,  and  were  lighting 
lamps." 

"  Half  a  dozen  men  were  stationed  at  the  door,  pistol  in 
hand,  ready  to  rush  in  as  soon  as  it  opened.  The  lieu- 
tenant and  I  went  forward  and  knocked,  but  no  one 
answered.  We  knocked  again,  louder  than  before,  but 
still  no  answer. 

"  '  Open  the  door,  in  the  King's  name  ! '  thundered  the 
lieutenant.  Silence,  as  before. 

"  Calling  to  the  marines,  he  ordered  them  to  root  up 
Phil   Doolan's   sign-post,   and  use  it  as  a  battering  ram 
against  the  door.     The  first  blow  of  thii  machine  nearly 
25 


290  WILLIS    THE    PILOT. 

brought  the  house  down,  and  a  cracked  voice  was  heard 
calling  on  the  saints  inside. 

" '  Blessed  St.  Patrick ! '  croaked  the  voice,  '  whativer 
are  ye  kicking  up  such  a  shindy  out  there  for  ?  Whativer 
d'ye  want  wid  an  old  woman,  and  niver  a  livin'  sowl  in 
the  house  'cept  meself  and  Kathleen  in  her  coffin?' 

"  '  Kathleen  is  dead,  then  ? '  said  the  lieutenant  with  a 
grin. 

" '  Save  yer  honor's  presence,  she's  off  to  glory,  an'  as 
dead  as  a  herrin '  replied  the  voice. 

" '  Really ! '  said  the  lieutenant,  '  and  where  is  Phil 
Doolau  ? ' 

"  '  Och,  yer  honor  ?  he's  gone  to  get  some  potheen  for 
the  wake.' 

" '  Well,'  said  the  lieutenant,  '  I  should  like  to  take  a 
share  in  waking  the  defunct —  what's  her  name  ? ' 

"  '  Kathleen,  yer  honor.' 

"  '  Well,  just  let  us  in  to  take  a  last  look  at  the  worthy 
creature.' 

"  The  door  then  creaked  on  its  rusty  hinges,  and  we  en- 
tered. Not  a  soul,  however,  was  to  be  seen  anywhere, 
save  and  except  the  old  woman  herself.  The  coffin  con- 
taining the  remains  of  Kathleen,  resting  on  two  stools, 
stood  in  the  middle  of  the  floor,  with  a  plate  of  salt  as 
usual  on  the  lid.  I  fairly  thought  I  had  been  done,  and 
looked  upon  myself  as  the  laughing  stock  of  the  entire 
fleet." 

"  So  far,"  remarked  Jack,  "  you  story  has  been  all  right, 
but  the  last  episode  was  rather  negligently  handled." 

"  How  ?  "  inquired  Willis. 

"  Why,  you  did  not  make  enough  of  the  coffin  scene ; 
your  description  is  too  meagre.  You  should  have  said, 
that  the  wind  blew  without  in  fierce  gusts,  the  weather- 
cocks screeched  on  the  roofs,  and  caused  you  to  dread  that 
the  ghost  of  the  defunct  was  coming  down  the  chimney ; 
large  flakes  of  snow  were  rushing  through  the  half-open 
door ;  a  solitary  rushlight  dimly  lit  up  the  chamber,  and 
cast  frightful  shadows  upon  the  wall." 

"  Well ;  but  the  night  was  fine,  and  there  was  not  a 
breath  of  wind." 


WILLIS    THB    PILOT.  291 

"  What  about  that  ?  A  little  wind,  more  or  less,  a 
weathercock  or  so,  some  drops  of  rain,  or  a  few  flakes  of 
snow,  do  not  materially  detract  from  the  truth,  whilst  they 
heighten  the  color  of  the  picture." 

"  And  if  some  lightning  tearing  through  the  clouds  were 
added  ?" 

"  Yes,  that  would  most  undoubtedly  increase  the  effect ; 
but  go  on  with  your  story." 

"  I  knew  Phil  to  be  an  artful  dodger,  and  was  deter- 
mined not  to  be  foiled  by  a  mere  trick,  so  I  laid  hold  of  a 
lantern  and  closely  examined  the  walls  and  flooring.  My 
investigation  was  successful,  for  just  under  the  coffin  I  de- 
tected traces  of  a  trap-door." 

" '  Well,  my  good  woman,  what  have  you  got  down 
there?"  inquired  the  lieutenant. 

"  '  Is  it  under-ground,  ye  mane,  yer  honor?  divil  a  hail's 
there,  if  it  isn't  the  rats.' 

"  '  Well,  just  remove  the  coffin  a  little  aside  ;  we  shall 
see  if  we  cannot  pepper  some  of  the  rats  for  you.' 

"  Here  the  old  woman  appealed  to  a  vast  number  of 
saints,  and  protested  against  Kathleen's  remains  being  dis- 
turbed. The  lieutenant,  however,  grew  tired  of  this  farce, 
and  ordered  the  coffin  to  be  shifted.  A  sailor  accordingly 
laid  hold  of  each  end. 

"  '  Blazes  ! '  said  one,  '  here  is  a  body  that  weighs.' 

" '  Perhaps,'  said  the  other,  '  the  coffin  is  lined  with 
lead.' 

"  The  trap-door  was  drawn  up,  and  the  lieutenant, 
pistol  in  hand,  descended  alone. 

" '  Now,  my  lads,'  said  he,  addressing  some  invisible 
personages,  '  we  know  you  are  here,  and  I  call  upon  you 
to  yield  in  the  King's  name  —  resistance  is  useless,  the 
house  is  surrounded,  and  we  are  in  force,  so  you  had  bet- 
ter give  in  without  more  ado.' 

"  No  answer  was  returned  to  this  exordium ;  but  we 
heard  the  murmuring  of  muffled  voices,  as  if  the  rapscal- 
lions were  deliberating.  I  now  descended  with  my  lamp, 
followed  by  some  of  the  seamen,  and  beheld  my  friends  of 
the  night  before  either  stretched  on  the  ground  or  propped 
up  against  the  walls,  like  a  lot  of  mummies  in  an  Egyptian 
tomb. 


292  "WILLIS    THE    PILOT. 

"  They  were  handcuffed  one  by  one,  pushed  or  hauled 
up  the  stairs,  and  then  tied  to  one  another  in  a  line.  When 
we  had  secured  the  whole  lot  of  them  in  this  way  — 

"'Lieutenant,'  said  I,  winking,  '  will  you  permit  me  to 
send  a  ball  into  that  coffin  ? ' 

"  '  Please  yourself  about  that,  young  man,'  said  he. 

"  Here  the  old  woman  recommenced  howling  again,  and 
called  upon  all  the  saints  in  the  calendar  to  punish  mu  for 
my  sacrilegious  design. 

"  '  Shoot  a  dead  body,'  said  I,  '  where's  the  harm  ? ' 
Besides,  what  is  that  salt  there  for?' 

" '  To  keep  away  evil  spirits,'  was  the  reply. 

"  '  Very  well,'  said  I,  '  my  pistol  will  scare  them  away 
as  well.'  Then,  cocking  it  with  a  loud  clink,  I  presented 
it  slowly  at  the  coffin." 

"  The  lid  all  at  once  flew  off —  the  salt  was  thrown  on 
the  ground  with  a  crash  —  the  defunct  suddenly  returned 
from  the  other  world  in  perfeet  health,  and  sat  half  upright 
in  his  bier.  I  did  not  recognize  the  individual  at  first, 
but,  on  closer  inspection,  found  him  to  be  my  communica- 
tive companion  of  the  preceding  night  —  the  hor=p-stealer 
of  the  '  Molly  Bawn ; '  and,  being  a  stout  young  fellow,  he 
was  harnessed  to  the  others,  and  we  commenced  our  march 
to  the  boats." 

"  You  do  not  appear  to  have  had  much  trouble  in  ef- 
fecting the  capture,"  remarked  Fritz. 

"  No ;  the  men  were  unarmed,  and  were  nearly  all  in- 
toxicated. You  never  saw  such  a  troop ;  scarcely  one  of 
them  could  walk  straight;  they  assumed  all  sorts  of 
figures ;  the  file  of  prisoners  was  just  like  a  bar  of  music, 
it  was  a  string  of  quavers,  crotchets,  and  zig-zags.  Luck- 
ily, it  was  late  at  night,  else  we  might  have  had  the  village 
about  our  ears,  and,  instead  of  flakes  of  snow  and  screech- 
ing weathercocks,  we  might  have  had  a  shower  of  dead 
cats  and  rotten  eggs.  Probably  a  rescue  might  have  been 
attempted ;  at  all  events,  we  might  have  calculated  on  a 
volley  of  brickbats  on  our  way  to  the  boats.  There  would 
have  been  no  end  of  commotion,  uproar,  confusion,  and 
hubbub,  possibly  smashed  noses,  blackened  eyes,  broken 
heads " 

"Holloa,  Willis!" 


WILLIS    THE    PILOT.  293 

"  You  said  just  now  that  a  little  colouring  was  neces- 
sary."' 

"  Certainly  ;  but  the  privilege  ought  not  to  be  abused. 
Besides,  broken  heads  and  smashed  faces  are  the  realities, 
and  not  the  accessories  of  the  picture." 

"  Oil,  I  see.  If  it  is  night,  the  moon  should  be  intro- 
duce! ;  and  if  it  is  day,  the  sun  — and  so  on?  " 

u  Of  course  ;  and,  if  the  circumstances  are  of  a  pleasing 
nature,  you  must  leave  horrors  and  terrors  on  your  pallette; 
change  gusts  into  zephyrs,  snow  into  roses  and  violets, 
and  the  weathercocks  into  golden  vanes  glittering  in  the 
sunshine." 

"  I  understand." 

"  You  want  to  color  a  popular  outbreak,  do  you  not  ?  " 

"  Yes." 

"  Then  you  should  introduce  a  tempest  howling,  the 
waves  roaring,  the  lightning  flashing,  and  discord  raging 
in  the  air  as  well  as  on  the  earth." 

"  Well,  to  continue  my  story.  Although  it  was  mid- 
night, the  disturbance  began  to  wake  up  the  villagers,  and 
a  crowd  was  collecting,  so  we  hurried  oft'  our  prisoners  to 
the  boats  as  speedily  as  we  could.  Some  five  and  twenty 
able  bodied  men  were  thus  added  to  his  Majesty's  fleet. 
The  object  of  our  visit  to  the  Irish  coast  was  accomplished, 
and  the  Norfolk  continued  her  voyage  to  the  West  Indies. 
Now  you  know  what  is  meant  by  the  word  pressed,  and 
likewise  the  nautical  signification  of  the  word  press-gang" 

"  And  you  say  that  Bill  Stubbs  has  been  trapped  on 
board  this  ship  by  such  means?" 

"  Yes,  at  New  Orleans." 

"According  to  your  story,  then,  that  does  not  say  very 
much  in  his  favor  ?  " 

"No,  not  a  great  deal ;  still,  that  proves  nothing  —  the 
fact  of  his  calling  himself  Bob  is  a  worse  feature.  A  man 
does  not  generally  change  his  name  without  having  good, 
or  rather  bad,  reasons  for  it." 

"  What  appears  to  me,"  remarked  Fritz,  "  as  the  most 
singular  feature  of  your  press-gang  adventure  is,  that  you 
are  alive  to  tell  it." 

"  Why  so  ?  " 

25* 


294  WILLIS    THB    PILOT. 

"  Because  I  think  it  ought  to  end  thus  :  '  The  victims  of 
the  press-gang  strangled  Willis  a  few  days  after.' " 

"  Aye,  aye,  but  you  do  not  know  what  a  sailor  is  ;  our 
recruits  had  not  been  a  fortnight  at  sea  before  they  entirely 
forgot  the  trick  I  had  played  them." 

Just  as  Willis  concluded  his  narrative,  the  man  at  the 
mast-head  called  out,  "  Sail  ho ! " 

"  Where  away  ?  "  bawled  the  captain. 

"  Right  a-head,"  replied  the  voice. 

The  Hoboken  had  hitherto  pursued  her  voyage  uninter- 
ruptedly, and  the  Yankee  captain  now  prepared  to  signalize 
himself  by  a  capture. 


CHAPTER  XXIV. 

A  SEA  FIGHT ANOTHER  IDEA  OF  THE  PILOT'S THE  BOUDKUSK. 

THE  captain  of  the  Hoboken  was  rather  pleased  than 
otherwise  when  the  lookout  reported  the  strange  sail  to 
show  English  colors.  He  looked  rather  glum,  however, 
half  an  hour  afterwards,  when  the  same  voice  bawled  that 
she  was  a  bull-dog  looking  craft,  schooner-rigged,  and 
pierced  for  sixteen  guns.  The  Yankee  had  hoped  to  fall 
in  with  a  fat  West  Indiaraan,  instead  of  which  he  had  now 
to  deal  with  a  man-of-war,  carrying,  perhaps,  a  larger 
weight  of  metal  than  himself. 

The  heads  of  the  two  ships  were  standing  in  towards 
each  other,  there  was  no  wind  to  speak  of,  but  every  hour 
lessened  the  distance  that  separated  the  antagonists. 

"Pilot,"  said  the  captain,  addressing  Willis,  "be  kind 
enough  to  let  me  know  what  you  think  of  that  craft." 

"I  think,"  said  Willis,  taking  the  telescope,  "I  have 
had  my  eyes  on  her  before.  Aye,  aye,  just  as  I  thought. 
An  old  tub  of  a  Spaniard  converted  into  an  English 
cruiser,  and  commanded  by  Commodore  Truncheon,  I 
shouldn't  wonder.  She  has  caught  a  Tartar  this  time, 
however.  Nothing  of  a  sailer.  If  a  breeze  springs  up, 
you  may  easily  give  her  the  slip,  if  you  like,  captain." 

"  Give  her  the  slip !  No,  not  if  I  can  help  it.  My 
cruise  hitherto  has  not  been  very  successful,  and  I  must 
send  her  into  New  York  as  a  prize.  Mr.  Brill,"  added  he, 
addressing  the  officer  next  in  command,  "prepare  for 
action." 

In  an  instant  all  was  commotion  and  bustle  on  deck. 
Half  an  hour  after,  the  captain,  now  in  full  uniform,  took 
a  hasty  glance  at  the  position  of  his  crew.  A  portion  of 
the  men  were  stationed  at  the  guns,  with  lighted  matches. 


296  WILLIS    THE    PILOT. 

Others  were  engaged  in  heating  shot,  and  preparing  other 
instruments  of  destruction.  Jack  and  Fritz,  armed  with 
muskets,  were  ready  to  act  as  sharp-shooters  as  soon  as  the 
enemy  came  within  range,  and  Willis  was  standing  beside 
them,  with  his  hands  in  his  pockets,  quietly  smoking  his 
pipe. 

"  What,  Pilot ! "  exclaimed  the  captain  in  passing, 
"  don't  you  intend  to  take  part  in  the  skirmish  ?  " 

"  I  am  much  your  debtor,  captain,  but  I  cannot  do  that." 

"  And  these  young  men  ?  " 

"  They  are  not  Englishmen,  and  your  kindness  to  them 
entitles  you  to  claim  their  assistance.  I  am  sorry  that 
honor  and  duty  prevent  me  giving  you  mine." 

"No  matter,  captain,"  said  Fritz,  "my  brother  and  my- 
self will  do  duty  for  three." 

"  Then,  Pilot,  you  had  better  go  below." 

"  With  your  permission,  captain,  I  would  rather  stay 
and  look  on." 

"  But  what  is  the  use  of  exposing  yourself  here  ?  " 

"  It  is  an  idea  of  mine,  captain.  But  I  shall  remain 
perfectly  neutral  during  the  engagement." 

"  As  you  like  then,  Pilot,  as  you  like,"  said  the  captain, 
as  he  resumed  his  place  on  the  quarter-deck. 

At  this  moment  a  cannon  ball  whistled  through  the  air. 

*  Good,"  said  Willis;  "the  commodore  gives  the  signal." 

"  That  shot,"  observed  Jack,  "  passed  at  no  great  dis- 
tance from  your  head,  Willis.  You  had  better  take  a 
musket  in  self-defence.  Besides,  that  ship  is  English,  and 
you  are  a  Scotchman." 

"The  ship  is  a  Spaniard  by  birth,"  replied  Willis,  "and 
it  is  pretty  well  time  it  was  converted  into  firewood,  for 
the  matter  of  that.  But  it  is  the  flag,  my  boy  —  that  is 
neither  Spanish  nor  English." 

"  What  is  it,  then  ?  "  inquired  Fritz. 

"  It  is  the  union-jack,  Master  Fritz.  It  is  the  ensign  of 
Scotland,  England,  and  Ireland  united  under  one  bonnet ; 
and  as  such,  it  is  as  sacred  in  my  eyes  as  if  it  bore  the 
cross  of  St.  Andrew." 

Musket  balls  were  now  rattling  pretty  freely  amongst 
the  shrouds.  The  young  men  levelled  their  muskets  and 
fired. 


WILLIS   THE   PILOT.  297 

Soon  after,  the  two  ships  were  abreast  of  each  other, 
and  almost  at  the  same  instant  both  discharged  a  deadly 
broadside.  The  conflict  became  general.  The  crashing 
of  the  wood-work  and  the  roaring  of  the  guns  was  deafen- 
ing. A  thick  smoke  enveloped  the  two  vessels,  so  that 
nothing  could  be  seen  of  the  one  from  the  other ;  still  the 
firing  and  crashing  went  on.  The  sails  were  torn  to 
shreds,  the  deck  was  encumbered  with  fragments  of 
timber;  men  were  now  and  then  falling,  either  killed  or 
wounded,  and  a  fatigue  party  was  constantly  engaged  in 
removing  the  bodies.  There  are  people  who  consider 
such  a  spectacle  magnificent ;  but  that  is  only  because 
they  have  never  witnessed  its  horrors. 

Already  many  immortal  souls  had  returned  to  their 
Maker;  many  sons  had  become  orphans,  and  many  wives 
had  been  deprived  of  their  husbands ;  but  as  yet  there 
was  nothing  to  indicate  on  which  side  victory  was  to  be 
declared.  Soon,  however,  a  cry  of  fire  was  raised,  which 
caused  great  confusion ;  and  another  cry,  announcing  that 
the  captain  had  fallen,  increased  the  disorder. 

A  ball  crashed  through  the  taffrail,  near  where  Jack 
and  Fritz  were  standing;  it  passed  between  them,  but 
they  were  both  severely  wounded  by  the  splinters,  and 
were  conveyed  by  Willis  to  the  cockpit.  The  doctor, 
seeing  his  old  friend  Jack  handed  down  the  ladder, 
hastened  towards  him  and  tore  out  a  piece  of  wood  from 
the  fleshy  part  of  his  arm.  He  next  turned  to  Fritz,  who 
had  received  a  severe  flesh-wound  on  the  shoulder.  When 
both  wounds  were  bandaged,  he  left  the  care  of  the  young 
men  to  Willis,  who  had  escaped  with  a  few  scratches, 
which,  however,  were  bleeding  pretty  freely — to  these  he 
did  not  pay  the  slightest  attention. 

"  How  stands  the  contest  ?  "  inquired  Fritz  in  a  weak 
voice. 

"  The  Hoboken  is  done  for,"  replied  Willis ;  "  the  com- 
modore was  preparing  to  board  when  we  left  the  deck ; 
but  it  does  not  make  much  difference;  we  shall  go  to 
England  instead  of  America,  that  is  all." 

"  God's  will  be  done,"  said  Fritz. 

Just  then  Bill  Stubbs  was  swung  down  in  a  hammock ; 


298  WILLIS    THJE   PILOT. 

both  his  legs  had  been  shot  off  by  a  cannon  ball.  The 
surgeon  could  only  now  attend  to  a  tithe  of  his  patients,  so 
numerous  had  the  wounded  become.  A  glance  at  the 
new  comer  satisfied  him  that  he  was  beyond  all  human 
skill,  and  he  directed  his  attention  to  the  cases  that  pro- 
mised some  hopes  of  recovery.  Willis,  seeing  that  his  old 
comrade  was  abandoned  to  die  almost  uncared  for, 
staunched  his  wounds  as  well  as  he  could,  fetched  him  a 
panniken  of  water,  and  performed  a  number  of  other  little 
acts  of  kindness  and  good  will.  This  he  did,  less  with  a 
view  of  obtaining  an  explanation  from  him  at  a  moment 
when  no  man  lies,  than  to  mitigate  the  pangs  of  his  last 
convulsions.  For  an  instant  the  old  mariner's  body 
appeared  re-animated  with  life.  His  eyes  were  fixed  upon 
Willis  with  an  ineffable  expression  of  recognition  and 
regret.  He  convulsively  grasped  the  Pilot's  hand  and 
pressed  it  to  his  breast,  and  his  lips  parted  as  if  to  speak. 
Willis  bent  his  ear  to  the  mouth  of  the  dying  man,  but  all 
that  followed  was  an  expiring  sigh.  His  earthly  career 
was  ended. 

The  hardy  sailor  who  is  supposed  never  to  shed  a  tear, 
then  wiped  the  corner  of  his  eyes.  Next  he  turned  to  the 
children  of  his  adoption,  whose  pale  faces  indicated  the 
amount  of  blood  they  had  shed,  and  whose  wounds,  if  he 
could  have  transferred  them  to  himself,  would  have  less 
pained  his  powerful  muscles  than  they  now  grieved  his 
excellent  heart. 

A  party  of  boarders  from  the  enemy  had  taken  pos- 
session of  tli,e  ship.  Willis  reported  himself  to  the  officer 
in  command,  and  at  his  request,  Fritz  and  Jack,  together 
with  the  cargo  of 'the  pinnace,  were  conveyed  on  board 
the  victorious  schooner.  Shortly  after  the  Hoboken  was 
despatched  to  Bermuda  as  a  prize,  with  the  prisoners,  the 
wounded,  and  the  dying. 

The  old  tub  that  had  gained  this  victory  was  named  the 
Arzobispo,  having,  as  Willis  supposed,  been  captured  in 
the  Spanish  Main.  It  was  under  the  command  of  Com- 
modore Truncheon,  better  known  in  the  fleet  by  the 
soubriquet  of  Old  Flyblow. 

The  Arzobispo,  though  old  and  clumsy,  was  a  stout-buil$ 


TTILLIS    THE    PILOT.  299 

craft ;  and  so  thick  was  its  hide,  that  the  broadsides  of  the 
Yankee  had  done  the  hull  no  damage  to  speak  of.  The 
superstructure,  ho\vever,  was  completely  shattered ;  the 
masts  and  rigging  hung  like  sweeps  over  the  sides  ;  and, 
to  the  unpractised  eye,  the  ship  was  a  complete  wreck. 
A  few  days,  however,  sufficed  to  put  everything  to  rights 
again  so  far  as  regards  external  appearance ;  but  how  this 
impromptu  carpentry  would  stand  a  storm  was  another 
question. 

The  commodore  was  on  his  way  to  Europe  when  he  fell 
in  with  the  Yankee,  and,  notwithstanding  the  disabled 
condition  of  the  ship,  he  resolved  to  continue  his  voyage. 
Some  of  the  officers  expostulated  with  him  on  the  hazard 
of  crossing  the  Atlantic  in  so  shaky  a  trim.  He  only  got 
red  in  the  face,  and  said  that  he  had  crossed  the  herring- 
pond  hundreds  of  times  in  crafts  not  half  so  seaworthy. 
He  was  like  the 

Froggy  who  would  a  wooing  go, 
Whether  his  mother  would  let  him  or  no. 

The  consequences  of  this  defiance  of  advice  were  fatal 
to  Old  Flyblow ;  for,  a  week  or  two  after  his  victory,  he 
was  pounced  upon  by  the  French  corvette,  Boudeuse, 
which  was  fresh,  heavily  armed,  and  well  manned.  The 
commodore's  jury  masts  were  knocked  to  pieces  by  the 
first  broadside,  his  flag  went  by  the  board,  and  he  was 
completely  at  the  enemy's  mercy.  Willis  lent  a  hand  this 
time  with  a  good  will ;  but  it  was  of  no  use,  the  wreck 
would  not  obey  the  helm,  and  the  corvette  hovered  about, 
firing  broadsides,  and  sending  in  discharges  of  musketry, 
when  and  where  she  liked.  It  was  only  when  the  com- 
modore saw  clearly  that  there  was  neither  mast  nor  sail 
enough  to  yaw  the  ship,  that  he  waved  his  cocked  hat  in 
token  of  surrender. 

Fritz  and  Jack  were  still  confined  below  with  their 
wounds,  when  Willis  brought  them  word  that  they  would 
have  to  shift  themselves  and  their  cargo  once  more.  The 
captain  received  them  on  board  the  Boudeuse  with  marked 
courtesy,  and  informed  them  that  he  was  bound  direct  for 
Havre  de  Grace. 


800  WILLIS    THK    PILOT. 

"  It  seems,  then,"  said  the  Pilot,  "  that  neither  America 
nor  England  is  to  be  our  destination  after  all.  But  never 
mind,  there  are  no  lack  of  surgeons  amongst  the  moun- 
seers." 

"If  we  go  on  this  way  much  longer,"  said  Jack,  sighing, 
"  we  shall  be  carried  round  the  world  without  arriving 
anywhere.  Alas,  my  poor  mother  !  " 


CHAPTEE   XXV. 

DELHI WILLIAM  OF  NORMANDT  AND  KINO  JOHN ISABELLA  OP 

BATARIA    AND    JOAN    OF    ARC  —  POITIERS   AND   BOVINES —  HIS- 
TORY   OF   A   GHOST,    A   GRIDIRON,    AND   A    CHEST    OF   GUINEAS. 

AT  first  the  three  adventurers  were  regarded  as  prison- 
ers of  war;  when,  however,  their  entire  history  came  to 
be  known,  and  their  extraordinary  migrations  from  ship  to 
ship  authenticated,  they  were  looked  upon  as  guests,  and 
treated  as  friends. 

"  I  thought  I  had  only  obtained  possession  of  n  English 
cruiser,"  said  the  captain;  "but  I  find  I  have  also  acquired 
the  right  of  being  useful  to  you." 

The  commander  of  the  Boudeuse  was  a  very  different 
sort  of  a  person  from  Commodore  Truncheon  ;  t"  e  former 
treated  his  men  as  if  every  one  o.  them  had  a  itle  and 
great  influence  at  the  Admiralty,  whilst  the  latte  swore 
at  his  crew  as  if  the  word  of  command  could  not  b  i  under- 
stood without  a  supplementary  oath  The  English  com- 
modore might  be  the  better  sailor  of  the  two,  but  certainly 
the  French  captain  carried  oft"  the  palm  as  regards  polite- 
ness, urbanity,  and  gentlemanly  bearing. 

The  wounds  of  Fritz  and  Jack  were  healing  rapidly 
under  the  skilful  treatment  of  the  French  sjrgeon,  and, 
with  a  lift  from  Willis,  they  were  able  to  w  Ik  a  portion 
of  the  day  on  deck.  "With  reviving  health,  heir  cheerful 
hopes  of  the  future  returned,  their  dorman  spirits  were 
re-awakened,  and  their  minds  regained  th  ir  wonted  ani- 
mation. 

"  The  corvette  spins  along  admirably,  said  the  Pilot, 
"  and  is  steering  straight  for  the  Bay  of  Biscay." 

"Ah ! "  said  Jack,  sighing,  "  it  is  very  asy  to  steer  for  a 
place,  but  it  is  not  quite  so  easy  to  get  here.  I  am  sick 
26 


302  WILLIS    THE    PILOT. 

of  your  friend  the  sea,  Willis ;  and  would  give  my  largest 
pearl  for  a  glimpse  of  a  town,  a  village,  or  even  a  street." 

"  If  you  want  to  see  a  street  in  all  its  glory,  Master 
Jack,  you  must  try  and  get  the  captain  to  alter  his  course 
for  Delhi." 

"But  I  should  think,  Willis,  .that  there  is  nothing  in  the 
street-scenery  of  Delhi  to  compare  with  the  Boulevards  of 
Paris,  Regent-street  in  London,  or  the  Broadway  of  New 
York." 

"  Beg  your  pardon  there,  Master  Jack ;  I  know  every 
shop  window  in  Regent-street ;  I  have  often  been  nearly 
run  over  in  the  Broadway,  and  can  easily  imagine  the  turn 
out  on  the  Boulevards ;  but  they  are  solitudes  in  compari- 
son with  an  Indian  street." 

"  How  so,  Willis  ?  " 

"  Well,  it  is  not  that  there  are  more  inhabitants,  nor  on 
account  of  the  traffic,  for  no  streets  in  the  world  will  beat 
those  of  London  in  that  respect — it  is  because  the  people 
live,  move,  and  have  their  being  in  the  streets ;  they  eat, 
drink,  and  sleep  in  the  streets ;  they  sing,  dance,  and  pray 
in  the  streets ;  conventions,  treaties,  and  alliances  are 
concluded  in  the  streets ;  in  short,  the  street  is  the  Indians' 
home,  his  club,  and  his  temple.  In  Europe,  transactions 
are  negotiated  quietly;  in  India,  nothing  can  be  done 
without  roaring,  screaming,  and  bawling." 

"  There  must  be  plenty  of  deaf  people  there,"  observed 
Jack. 

"  Possibly ;  but  there  are  no  dumb  people.  Added  to 
the  endless  vociferations  of  the  human  voice,  there  is  an 
eternal  barking  of  dogs,  elephants  snorting,  cows  lowing, 
and  myriads  of  pigs  grunting.  Then  there  is  the  thump, 
thump  of  the  tam-tam,  the  whistling  of  fifes,  and  the 
screeching  of  a  horrible  instrument  resembling  a  fiddle, 
which  can  only  be  compared  with  the  Belzebub  music  of 
Hawai.  If,  amongst  these  discordant  sounds,  you  throw 
in  a  cloud  of  mosquitoes  and  a  hurricane  of  dust,  you  will 
have  a  tolerable  idea  of  an  Indian  street." 

"  There  may  be  animation  and  life  enough,  Willis,  but  I 
should  prefer  the  monotony  of  Regent-street  for  all  that. 
Would  you  like  to  air  yourself  in  Paris  a  bit?" 


WILLIS    THE    PILOT.  303 

"  Yes,  but  not  just  now  ;  the  less  my  countrymen  see  of 
France,  under  present  circumstances,  the  better." 

"  What  is  England  and  France  always  fightiag  about, 
Willis?" 

"  Well,  I  believe  the  cause  this  time  to  be  a  shindy  the 
mounseers  got  up  amongst  themselves  in  1788.  They  first 
cut  off  the  head  of  their  king,  and  then  commenced  to  cut 
one  another's  throats,  and  England  interfered." 

"  That,"  observed  Fritz,  "  may  be  the  immediate  origin 
of  the  present  war  [1812].  But  for  the  cause  of  the 
animosity  existing  between  the  two  nations,  you  must,  I 
suspect,  go  back  as  far  as  the  eleventh  century,  to  the  time 
of  William,  Duke  of  Normandy." 

"  What  had  he -to  do  with  it  ?  " 

"A  great  deal.  He  claimed  a  right,  real  or  pretended, 
to  the  English  throne.  He  crossed  the  Channel,  and,  in 
1066,  defeated  Harold,  King  of  England,  at  the  battle  of 
Hastings." 

"  Both  William  and  Harold  were  originally  Danes,  were 
they  not  ?  "  inquired  Jack. 

"Yes;  I  think  Hollo,  William's  grandfather,  was  a 
Norman  adventurer,  or  sea-king,  as  these  marauders  were 
sometimes  called.  William,  after  the  victory  of  Hastings, 
proclaimed  himself  King  of  England  and  Duke  of  Nor- 
mandy, and  assumed  the  designation  of  William  the 
Conqueror."  ^ 

"  Then  how  did  France  get  mixed  up  in  the  affair  ? " 
inquired  Willis. 

"  William's  grandfather,  when  he  seized  the  dukedom  of 
Normandy,  became  virtually  a  vassal  of  the  King  of  France, 
though  it  is  doubtful  whether  he  ever  took  the  trouble  to 
recognize  the  suzerainty  of  the  throne.  As  sovereign, 
however,  the  King  of  France  claimed  the  right  of  homage, 
which  consisted,  according  to  feudal  usage,  in  the  vassal 
advancing,  bare-headed,  without  sword  or  spurs,  and  kneel- 
ing at  the  foot  of  the  throne." 

"Was  this  right  ever  enforced?" 

"  Yes,  in  one  case  at  least.  John  Lackland — or,  as  the 
French  called  him,  John  Sans  Terre — having  assassinated 
his  nephew  Arthur,  Duke  of  Brittany,  in  order  to  obtain 


304  WILLIS    THK    PILOT. 

possession  of  his  lands,  was  summoned  by  Philip  Augustus, 
King  of  France,  to  justify  his  crime.  John  did  not  obey 
the  summons,  was  declared  guilty  of  felony,  and  Philip 
took  possession  of  Normandy.  Thus  the  first  step  to  hos- 
tilities was  laid  down." 

"The  English  having  lost  Normandy,  the  vassalage 
ceased." 

"  Yes,  so  far  as  regards  Normandy ;  but,  in  the  mean- 
time, Louis  le  Jeune,  King  of  France,  unfortunately 
divorced  his  wife,  Elenor  of  Aquitaine,  who  afterwards 
married  an  English  prince,  and  added  Guienne,  another 
French  dukedom  to  the  English  crown." 

"  So  another  vassalage  sprung  up." 

^Exactly.  All  the  French  King  insisted  upon  was  the 
homage ;  but  Edward  III.  of  England,  instead  of  bending 
his  knee  to  Philip  of  Valois,  argued  with  himself  in  this 
way :  '  If  I  were  King  of  England  and  France  as  well, 
the  claim  of  homage  for  the  dukedom  of  Guienne  would 
be  extinguished."' 

"  Rather  cool  that,"  said  Jack,  laughing. 

"  '  We  shall  then,'  Edward  said  to  himself, '  be  our  own 
sovereign,  and  do  homage  to  ourself,  which  would  save  a 
deal  of  bother.' " 

"Well,  he  was  right  there,  at  least,"  remarked  the 
Pilot. 

"  The  King  of  France,  however,  entertained  a  different 
view  of  the  subject.  Hence  arose  an  endless  succession  of 
sieges,  battles,  conquests,  defeats,  exterminations,  and 
hatreds,  which,  no  doubt,  gave  rise  to  the  ill-feeling  that 
exists  at  present  between  England  and  France.  It  is 
curious,  at  the  same  tune,  to  observe  what  mischief  indi- 
vidual acts  may  occasion.  If  William  of  Normandy  had 
remained  contented  with  his  dukedom,  and  Louis  le  Jeune 
had  not  divorced  his  wife,  France  would  not  have  lost  the 
disastrous  battles  of  Agincourt  and  Poitiers." 

"  Nor  gained  the  brilliant  victory  of  Bovines,"  suggested 
Jack. 

"  Certainly  not ;  but  she  would  have  been  spared  the 
indignity  of  having  one  of  her  kings  marched  through  the 
streets  of  London  as  a  prisoner." 


WILLIS    THE    PILOT.  305 

"  True ;  "but,  on  the  other  hand,  the  captured  monarch 
would  not  have  had  an  opportunity  of  illustrating  the  laws 
of  honor  in  his  own  person.  He  returned  loyally  to  Eng- 
land and  resumed  his  chains,  when  he  found  that  the 
enormous  sum  demanded  by  England  for  his  ransom  would 
impoverish  his  people:  otherwise  he  could  not  have 
given  birth  to  the  maxim,  '  That  though  good  faith  be 
banished  from  all  the  world  beside,  it  ought  still  to  be 
found  in  the  hearts  of  kings.'" 

"  One  of  the  kings  of  Scotland,"  remarked  Willis,  "  was 
placed  in  a  similar  position.  The  Scottish  army  had  been 
cut  to  pieces  at  the  battle  of  Flodden,  the  king  was  cap- 
tured in  his  harness,  conveyed  to  London,  and  the  people 
had  to  pay  a  great  deal  more  to  obtain  his  freedom  than 
he  was  worth.  But,  before  that,  the  Scotch  nearly  caught, 
one  of  the  Edwards.  This  time  the  English  army  had 
been  cut  to  pieces ;  but  the  king  did  not  wait  to  be  cap- 
tured, he  took  to  his  heels,  or  rather  to  his  horse's  hoof's. 
He  was  beautifully  mounted,  and  followed  by  half  a  dozen 
Scottish  troopers  ;  away  he  went,  over  hill  and  dale,  ditch 
and  river.  Dick  Turpin's  ride  from  London  to  York  was 
nothing  to  it.  The  king  proved  himself  to  be  a  first-rate 
horseman,  for,  after  being  chased  this  way  over  half  the 
country,  he  succeeded  in  baffling  his  pursuers.  All  these 
escapades  between  England  and  Scotland  are,  however, 
forgotten  now,  or  at  least  ought  to  be ;  there  are,  doubt- 
less, a  few  thick-headed  persons  in  both  sections  of  the 
empire  who  delight  in  keeping  alive  old  prejudices,  but 
they  will  die  out  in  time." 

"  It  seems,  however,  they  have  not  died  away  yet,"  said 
Fritz,  "  in  so  far  as  regards  France  and  England,  since  the 
two  countries  are  at  war  again.  But,  as  I  observed  before, 
had  it  not  been  for  the  ambition  of  William  and  the  anti- 
connubial  propensities  of  John,  the  English  would  never 
have  been  masters  of  Paris,  and  a  great  part  of  France 
under  Charles  VI." 

"Still,  in  that  case,"  persisted  Jack,  "Charles  YIL 
would  not  have  had  the  opportunity  of  liberating  his 
country." 

26* 


306  WILLIS    THE    PILOT. 

"  Then,"  continued  Fritz,  "  history  would  not  have  had 
to  record  the  shameless  deeds  of  Isabella  of  Bavaria." 

"  Nor  chronicle  the  brilliant  achievements  of  Joan  of 
Arc,"  added  Jack. 

"  Any  how,"  observed  Willis,  "  the  mounseers  are  a 
curious  people.  I  have  heard  it  remarked  that  they  are 
occupied  all  day  long  in  getting  themselves  into  scrapes, 
and  that  Providence  busies  herself  all  night  in  getting 
them  out  again." 

By  chatting  in  this  way,  Fritz,  his  brother,  and  the 
Pilot  contrived  to  relieve  the  monotony  of  the  voyage, 
and  to  pass  away  the  time  pleasantly  enough.  Each  con- 
tributed his  quota  to  the  common  fund ;  Fritz  his  judg- 
ment, Jack  his  humor,  and  Willis  his  practical  experience, 
strong  good  sense,  and  vigorous,  though  untutored  under- 
standing. A  portion  of  Jack's  time  was  passed  with  the 
surgeon,  between  whom  a  great  intimacy  had  sprung  up. 
Time  did  not,  therefore,  hang  heavily  on  the  hands  of  the 
young  men;  for  even  during  the  night  their  thoughts 
were  busy  forming  projects,  or  in  embroidering  the  canvas 
of  the  future  with  those  fairy  designs  which  youth  alone 
can  create. 

One  morning  Willis  arrived  on  deck,  pale,  and  with  an 
air  of  fatigue  and  lassitude  altogether  unusual.  He  gazed 
anxiously  into  every  nook  aq,d  cranny  of  the  ship. 

"  Whatever  is  the  matter,  Willis  ? "  inquired  Jack. 
"  Have  you  seen  the  Flying  Dutchman  ?  " 

•'  No,  Master  Jack,"  said  he  in  a  forlorn  tone  ;  u  but  I 
have  either  seen  the  captain  or  his  ghost." 

"  What !  the  captain  of  the  ffoboken  ?  " 

"  No ;  the  captain  of  the  Nelson." 

"  In  a  dream  ?  " 

"  No,  my  eyes  were  as  wide  open  as  they  are  now ;  h-- 
looked  into  my  cabin,  and  spoke  to  me." 

"  Impossible,  Willis." 

"  I  assure  you  it  is  the  case  though,  impossible  or  not." 

"  Where  is  he  then  ?  "  exclaimed  both  the  young  men, 
starting. 

"  That  I  know  not;  I  have  looked  for  him  everywhere." 

"  What  did  he  say  to  you  ?  " 


WILLIS   THE   PILOT.  307 

"  At  first  he  said,  How  d'ye  do,  Willis  ?" 

"  Naturally ;  and  what  then  ?  " 

"  He  asked  me  what  I  thought  of  the  cloud  that  was 
gathering  in  the  south-west." 

"Imagination,  Willis." 

"  But  look  there,  you  can  see  a  storm  is  gathering  in 
that  quarter." 

"The  nightmare,  Willis.    But  what  did  you  say  to  him?" 

"  I  could  not  answer  at  the  moment ;  my  tongue  clove 
to  the  roof  of  my  mouth,  and  I  rose  to  take  hold  of  his 
hind." 

"  Then  he  disappeared,  did  he  not  ?  " 

"  Yes,  Master  Jack." 

"  I  thought  so." 

"  But  I  heard  the  door  of  my  cabin  shut  behind  him,  as 
distinctly  as  I  now  hear  the  waves  breaking  on  the  sides 
of  the  corvette  at  this  moment." 

"  You  ought  to  have  run  after  him." 

« I  did  so." 

"  Well,  did  you  catch  him  ?  " 

"  No ;  I  was  stopped  by  the  watch,  for  I  had  nothing  on 
me  but  my  shirt ;  the  officers  stared,  the  sailors  laughed, 
and  the  doctor  felt  my  pulse.  But,  for  all  that,  I  am 
satisfied  there  is  a  mystery  somewhere." 

"  But,  Willis,  the  thing  is  altogether  improbable." 

"  Well,  look  here ;  Captain  Littlestone  is  either  dead  or 
alive,  is  he  not  ?  " 

"  Yes,"  replied  Jack,  "  there  can  be  no  medium  between 
these  hypotheses." 

"  Then  all  I  can  say  is  this,  that  as  sure  as  I  am  a  living 
sinner,  I  have  seen  him  if  he  is  alive,  and,  if  he  is  dead,  I 
have  seen  his  ghost." 

"  You  believe  in  visitations  from  the  other  world  then, 
Willis  ?  " 

"  I  cannot  discredit  the  evidences  of  my  own  senses, 
can  I?" 

"  No,  certainly  not." 

"  Besides,  this  brings  to  my  recollection  a  similar  cir- 
cumstance that  happened  to  an  old  comrade  of  mine. 
Sam  Walker  is  as  fine  a  fellow  as  ever  lived,  he  sailed 
with  me  on  board  the  Norfolk,  and  I  know  him  to  be  in- 


308  WILLIS    THE    PILOT. 

capable  of  telling  a  falsehood.  Though  his  name  is  Sam 
"Walker,  we  used  to  call  him  '  Hot  Codlins.' " 

;'  Why,  Willis  ?  " 

"  Because  he  had  an  old  woman  with  a  child  tatooed  on 
his  arm,  instead  of  an  anchor,  as  is  usual  in  the  navy." 

"  A  portrait  of  Notre  Dame  de  Bon  Lecours,  I  shouldn't 
wonder,"  said  Jack ;  "  but  what  had  that  to  do  with  hot 
codlins :  a  codlin  is  a  fish,  is  it  not?  " 

"I  will  explain  that  another  time,"  said  Willis,  the 
shadow  of  a  smile  passing  over  his  pale  features.  "  The 
short  and  the  long  of  the  story  is,  that  Sam  once  saw  a 
ghost." 

"  Well,  tell  us  all  about  it,  Willis." 

"  But  I  am  afraid  you  will  not  believe  the  story  if  I  do." 

"  On  the  contrary,  I  promise  to  believe  it  in  advance." 

"  Very  well,  Master  Jack.  Did  you  ever  see  a  wind- 
mill?" 

"  No,  but  I  know  what  sort  of  things  they  are  from  de- 
scription." 

"  There  are  none  in  Scotland,"  continued  Willis ;  "  at 
least  I  never  saw  one  there." 

"  How  do  they  manage  to  grind  their  corn  then  ?  There 
should  be  oats  in  the  land  o'  cakes,  at  all  events,"  said 
Jack,  with  a  smile. 

"  Well,  in  countries  that  have  plenty  of  water,  they  can 
dispense  with  mills  on  land.  Though  there  are  no  wind- 
mills in  Scotland,  there  are  some  in  the  county  of  Durham, 
on  the  borders  of  England,  for  it  appears  my  mate  Sam 
was  born  in  one  of  them.  His  father  and  mother  died 
when  he  was  very  young,  and  he,  conjointly  with  the  rats, 
was  left  sole  owner  and  occupant  of  the  mill.  Some  of 
the  neighboring  villagers,  seeing  the  poor  boy  left  in  this 
forlorn  condition,  got  him  into  a  charity  school,  whence  he 
was  bound  apprentice  to  a  shipmaster  engaged  in  the  coal 
trade,  by  whom  he  was  sent  to  sea.  The  ship  young  Sam 
sailed  in  was  wrecked  on  the  coast  of  France,  and  he  fell 
into  the  hands  of  a  fisherman,  who  put  the  mark  on  his 
arm  we  used  to  joke  him  about." 

"  I  thought  so,"  said  Jack ;  "  the  mark  ra  question  rep- 
resents the  patron  saint  of  French  sailors." 

"  After  a  variety  of  ups  and  downs,  Sam  found  himself 


WILLIS    TUB    PILOT.  309 

rated  as  a  first-class  seaman  on  board  a  British  man-of- 
war.  He  served  with  myself  on  board  the  Norfolk,  and 
was  wounded  at  the  battle  of  Trafalgar  [1806],  which,  I 
dare  say,  you  have  heard  of." 

"  Yes,  Willis,  it  was  there  that  your  Admiral  Nelson 
covered  himself  with  immortal  renown." 

"  There  and  elsewhere,  Master  Fritz.'' 

"  It  cost  him  his  life,  however,  Willis,  and  likewise 
shortened  those  of  the  French  Admiral  Villeneuve  and  the 
Spanish  Admiral  Gravina ;  that,  you  must  admit,  is  too 
many  eggs  for  one  omelet." 

"  As  you  once  said  yourself,  great  victories  are  not  won 
without  loss,  and  the  battle  of  Trafalgar  was  no  exception 
to  the  rule.  Sam,  having  been  wounded,  was  sent  to  the 
hospital,  and  when  his  wound  was  healed,  he  was  allowed 
leave  of  absence  to  recruit  his  strength,  so  he  thought  he 
would  take  a  run  to  Durham  and  see  how  it  fared  with 
the  paternal  windmill.  Time  had,  of  course,  wrought 
many  changes  both  outside  and  in,  but  it  still  remained 
perched  grimly  on  its  pedestal,  but  now  entirely  aban- 
doned to  the  bats  and  owls.  The  sails  were  gone,  and 
the  woodwork  was  slowly  crumbling  away ;  but  the  base- 
ment being  of  hewn  granite,  it  was  still  in  a  tolerable  state 
of  preservation.  The  place,  however,  was  said  to  be 
haunted ;  exactly  at  twelve  o'clock  at  night  dismal  howls 
were  heard  by  the  villagers  to  issue  from  the  mill.  Ac- 
cording to  the  blacksmith,  who  was  a  great  authority  in 
such  matters,  Sam's  father  was  a  very  avaricious  old  fel- 
low, and  had  hid  his  money  somewhere  about  the  building ; 
and  you  know,  Master  Jack,  that  when  a  man  dies  and 
leaves  his  money  concealed,  there  is  no  rest  for  him  in  his 
grave  till  it  is  discovered." 

"  I  really  was  not  aware  of  it  before,"  replied  Jack ; 
"but  I  am  delighted  to  hear  it." 

"  When  Sam  arrived,  nobody  disputed  his  title  to  the 
property,  except  the  ghost ;  but  Sam  had  seen  a  good  deal 
of  hard  service,  and  declared  that  he  would  not  be  choused 
out  of  his  patrimony  for  all  the  ghosts  in  the  parish ;  and, 
in  spite  of  the  persuasions  of  the  villagers,  resolved  to  take 
up  his  abode  there  forthwith.  Sam  accordingly  laid  in  a 


310  WILLJ3    THE    1'ILOT. 

supply  of  stores,  including  a  month's  supply  of  tobacco  and 
rum.  He  first  made  the  place  water-tight,  then  made  a 
fire  sufficient  to  roast  an  ox,  and  when  night  arrived  made 
a  jorum  of  grog,  a  little  stiff,  to  keep  away  the  damp. 
This  done,  he  lit  his  pipe,  and  began  to  cook  a  steak  for 
his  supper.  The  old  mill,  for  the  first  time  since  the  de- 
cease of  the  former  proprietor,  was  filled  with  the  savory 
odor  of  roast  beef." 

"  And  there  are  worse  odors  than  that,"  remarked  Jack. 

"  Whilst  the  steak  was  frizzling,  he  took  a  swig  at  the 
grog ;  and,  thinking  one  side  was  done,  he  gave  the  grid- 
iron a  twist,  which  sent  the  steak  a  little  way  up  the 
chimney,  and,  strange  to  say,  it  never  came  down  again. 

"  '  Ten  thousand  What's-a-names,'  cried  Sam,  '  w  here's 
my  steak  ? ' 

''  No  answer  was  vouchsafed  to  this  query ;  he  looked 
up  the  chimney,  and  could  see  "no  one." 

"  The  steak  had  really  disappeared  then  ? "  said  Jack, 
inquiringly. 

"  Yes,  not  a  fragment  remained  ;  but  he  had  more  beef, 
so  he  cut  off  another ;  and,  as  his  head  had  got  a  little 
muddled  with  the  grog,  he  thought  it  just  possible  that  he 
might  have  capsized  the  gridiron  into  the  fire,  so  he  quiet- 
ly recommenced  the  operation." 

"  And  the  second  steak  disappeared  like  the  first  ?  " 

"  Yes,  Master  Fritz,  with  this  difference  —  there  was  a 
dead  man's  thigh-bone  in  its  place." 

"  An  awkward  transformation  for  a  hungry  man,"  said 
Jack. 

" '  Here's  a  go ! '  cried  Sam,  like  to  burst  his  sides  with 
laughing,  'they  expect  to  frighten  me  with  bones,  do  they? 
they've  got  the  wrong  man  —  been  played  too  many  tricks 
of  that  kind  at  sea  to  be  scared  by  that  sort  of  thing.  Ha, 
ha,  ha !  capital  joke  though.'  " 

"  Your  friend  Sam  must  have  been  a  merry  fellow, 
Willis." 

"  Yes,  but  he  was  hungry,  and  wanted  his  supper ;  so 
he  continued  supplying  the  gridiron  with  steaks  as  long  as 
the  beef  lasted,  but  only  obtained  human  shin-bones,  clavi- 
cles and  tibias. 


WILLIS   THE   PILOT.  311 

" '  Never  mind,'  said  Sam  to  himself,  '  they  will  tire  of 
this  game  in  course  of  time.' 

"  When  the  beef  was  done,  he  kept  up  a  supply  of  rash- 
ers of  bacon,  and  threw  the  bones  as  they  appeared  in  a 
corner,  consoling  himself  in  the  meantime  with  his  pipe 
and  his  grog." 

"  He  must  have  been  both  patient  and  persevering," 
remarked  Jack. 

"  This  went  on  till  a  skull  appeared  on  the  gridiron." 

"  A  singular  object  to  sup  upon,"  observed  Jack. 

"  '  I  wonder  what  the  deuce  will  come  next,'  said  Sam 
to  himself,  throwing  the  skull  amongst  the  rest  of  the 
bones. 

"  The  next  time,  however,  he  took  the  gridiron  off  the 
fire,  there  was  his  last  rasher  done  to  a  turn. 

" '  Now.'  said  Sam,  '  I  am  jgoing  to  have  peace  and 
quietness  at  last.' 

"  He  sat  down  then  very  comfortably,  and  kept  eating 
and  drinking,  and  drinking  and  smoking,  till  the  village 
clock  struck  twelve." 

"  Good !  "  cried  Jack.  "  You  may  come  in  now,  ladies 
and  gentlemen  ;  the  performance  is  just  a-going  to  begin." 

"  Sam  heard  a  succession  of  crack  cracks  amongst  the 
bones,  and  turning  round  he  beheld  a  frightful-looking 
spectre,  pointing  with  its  finger  to  the  door." 

"Was  it  wrapped  up  in  a  white  sheet?"  inquired  Jack. 

"  Yes,  I  rather  think  it  was." 

"  Very  well,  then,  I  believe  the  story  ;  for.spectres  are 
invariably  wrapped  up  in  white  sheets." 

"  The  bones,  instead  of  remaining  quietly  piled  up  in 
the  corner,  had  joined  themselves  together  —  the  leg  bones 
to  the  feet,  the  ribs  to  the  back-bone  —  and  the  skull  had 
stuck  itself  on  the  top.  Where  the  flesh  came  from,  Sam 
could  not  tell;  but  he  strongly  suspected  that  his  own 
steaks  and  bacon  had  something  to  do  with  it.  But,  be 
that  as  it  may,  there  was  not  half  enough  of  fat  to  cover 
the  bones,  and  the  figure  was  dreadfully  thin.  Sam  stared 
at  first  in  astonishment,  and  began  to  doubt  whether  he 
saw  aright.  When,  however,  he  beheld  the  figure  move, 
there  could  be  no  mistake,  and  he  knew  at  once  that  it 
was  a  ghost.  Anybody  else  would  have  been  frightened 


31?  V/IM.1S    THK    PILOT. 

out  of  their  senses,  but  Sam  took  the  matter  philososophi- 
cally  and  went  on  with  his  supper. 

"  '  How  d'ye  do,  old  fellow  ? '  he  said  to  the  spectre- 
'Will  you  have  a  mouthful  of  grog  to  warm  your  inside? 
Sit  down,  and  be  sociable.' 

"  The  spectre  did  not  make  any  reply,  but  continued 
m;iking  a  sign  for  Sam  to  follow. 

" '  If  you  prefer  to  stand  and  keep  beckoning  there  till 
to-morrow  you  may,  but,  if  I  were  in  your  place,  I  would 
come  nearer  the  fire,'  said  Sam ;  '  you  may  catch  cold 
standing  there  without  your  shirt,  you  know.' 

"  The  same  silence  and  the  same  gesture  continued  on 
the  part  of  the  ghost,  and  Sam,  seeing  that  his  words  pro- 
duced no  effect,  recommenced  eating." 

"  There  is  one  thing,"  remarked  Jack,  "  more  astonish- 
ing about  your  friend  Sam  than  his  coolness,  and  that  is 
his  appetite," 

"  The  spectre  did  not  appear  satisfied  with  the  state  of 
affairs,  for  it  assumed  a  threatening-  attitude  and  strode 
towards  the  fire-place. 

" '  Avast  heaving,  old  fellow,'  cried  Sam,  '  there  is  one 
thing  I  have  got  to  say,  which  is  this  here :  you  may 
stand  and  hoist  signals  there  as  long  as  ever  you  like ;  but 
if  you  touch  me,  then  look  out  for  squalls,  that's  all.' 

"  The  '  old  fellow,'  however,  paid  no  attention  to  this 
caution.  He  strode  right  up  to  the  fire-place,  and,  whilst 
pointing  to  the  door  with  one  hand,  grasped  Sam's  arm 
with  the  other.  Sam  started  up,  shook  off  the  hand  that 
held  him,  and  pitched  into  the  spectre  right  and  left. 
But,  strange  to  say,  his  hands  went  right  through  its  bones 
and  all,  just  as  if  it  had  been  made  of  the  hydrogen  gas 
you  spoke  of  the  other  day.  Sam  saw  that  it  was  no  u^e 
laying  about  him  in  this  fashion,  for  the  spectre  stood 
grinning  at  him  all  the  time,  so  he  gave  it  up. 

"  '  I  wish,'  said  he,  '  you  would  be  off,  and  go  to  bed, 
and  not  keep  bothering  there.' 

"  Still  the  spectre  maintained  the  same  posture,  and 
kept  pertinaciously  pointing  to  the  door. 

"  '  Well,'  said  Sam,  '  since  you  insist  upon  it,  let  us  see 
what  there  is  outside.  Go  a-head,  I  will  follow.' 

"  The  spectre  led  him  into  what  used  to  be  the  garden 


WILLIS    THE    PILOT.  313 

of  the  mill,  but  the  enclosure  was  now  overgrown  with 
rank  and  poisonous  weeds.  There  was  a  path  running 
through  it  pared  with  flagstones;  the  spectre  pointed  with 
its  finger  to  one  of  them.  Sara  stooped  down,  and,  much 
to  his  astonishment,  raised  it  with  ease.  Beneath  there 
was  an  iron  chest,  the  lid  of  which  he  also  opened,  and 
saw  that  it  was  filled  with  old  spade  guineas  and  Spanish 
dollars. 

" '  You  hehold  that  treasure ! '  said  the  spectre,  in  a 
hollow  voice. 

"  '  Ha,  ha,  old  fellow !  you  can  speak,  can  you  ?  Now 
we  shall  understand  each  other.  Yes,  I  see  a  box,  filled 
with  what  looks  very  like  gold  and  silver  coins.' 

" '  I  placed  that  treasure  there  before  my  death,'  added 
the  spectre. 

"  '  Ah,  so !  then  you  are  dead  ? '  said  Sam. 

" '  One  half  of  that  money  I  wish  you  to  give  to  the 
poor,  and  the  other  half  you  may  keep  to  yourself,  if  you 
choose.' 

"'  Golley!'  said  Sam,  'you  are  not  much  of  a  swab 
after  all,  though  you  look  as  thin  as  a  purser's  clerk. 
Give  us  a  shake  of  your  paw,  my  hearty.' 

"  Here  Sam,  somehow  or  other,  stumbled  over  the 
lamp,  and  when  he  got  up  again  the  spectre  had  vanished. 
He  laid  hold  of  the  chest,  however,  and  groped  his  way 
back  to  the  mill.  When  .safe  inside,  he  made  a  stiff  jorum 
of  grog,  and  then  fell  comfortably  asleep.  That  night  he 
dreamt  that  he  was  eating  gold  and  silver,  that  he  was  his 
own  captain,  that  the  cat-o'-nine  tails  was  entirely  abo- 
lished in  the  navy,  and  that  his  ship,  instead  of  sailing  in 
salt  water  was  floating  in  rum.  When  he  awoke,  the  sun 
was  streaming  through  all  the  nooks  and  crannies  of  the 
old  mill.  All  the  marks  of  the  preceding  night's  adven- 
tures were  there  —  the  gridiron,  the  empty  rum  jar,  the 
the  table  overturned  in  the  melee  with  the  ghost  —  but  the 
chest  of  money  was  gone." 

"  And  what  did  Sam  conclude  from  that  incident  ?  "  in- 
quired Fritz. 

"Well,  he  supposed  that  he  had  slept  rather  long,  and 
27 


314  WILLIS    THE    PILOT. 

that  somebody  had  come  in  before  he  was  up  and  had 
walked  off  with  the  box." 

"  If  I  had  been  in  his  place,"  continued  Fritz,  "I  should 
have  said  to  myself  that  the  mind  often  gives  birth  to 
strange  fancies,  particularly  after  a  heavy  supper,  and  that 
I  had  muddled  my  brain  with  rum ;  consequently,  that 
all  the  things  I  imagined  I  had  seen  were  only  the 
chimeras  of  a  dream." 

"  But  that  could  not  be,  Master  Fritz,  for  two  reasons ; 
the  first,  that  the  mark  of  the  ghost's  hand  remained  on 
his  arm." 

"  Very  likely  burnt  it  when  he  grilled  the  bacon." 

"The  second,  that  the  ghost  was  no  more  seen  or  heard 
of  in  the  mill." 

"  That  proof  is  a  poser  for  you  *  brother,  I  think,"  said 
Jack. 

"  Did  yo"u  heave  that  sigh  just  now,  Master  Fritz  ?  "  in- 
quired Willis,  in  a  low  tone. 

"  It  was  not   I,"  said  Fritz,  looking  at  his  brother. 

"  Nor  I,"  said  J-ack,  looking  at  Willis. 

"  Nor  I,"  said  Willis,  looking  behind  him. 


CHAPTER  XXVI. 

TVJLLIS  FALLS  IN  WITH  THE  SLOOP  ON  TERRA  FIRMA,  INSTEAD 
OF  AT  THE  BOTTOM  OF  THE  SEA,  AS  MIGHT  HAVE  BF.EN  EX- 
PECTED—  ADMIRAL  CICERO  —  THE  DEFUNCT  NOT  TET  DEAD. 

THE  corvette,  notwitstaiuling  the  multitude  of  British 
cruisers  scattered  about  the  ocean,  and  the  other  dangers 
that  beset  her,  held  on  the  even  tenor  of  her  way.  A  gale 
sprung  up  now  and  then,  but  they  only  tended  to  give  a 
filip  to  the  common-place  incidents  recorded  in  tht  log. 
This  quietude  was  not,  however,  enjoyed  by  all  the  persons 
on  board.  Willia  was  a  prey  to  violent  emotions ;  and  so 
it  often  happens,  in  the  midst  of  the  profoundest  calm, 
storms  often  rage  in  the  heart  of  man. 

Whether  in  reality  or  in  a  dream,  Willis  declared  that 
Captain  Littlestone  paid  him  a  visit  every  night,  and  in- 
variably asked  him  precisely  the  same  questions.  On  these 
occasions,  Willis  asserted  that  he  distinctly  heard  the  door 
open  and  shut  whilst  a  shadow  glided  through.  That  he 
might  once,  or  even  twice,  have  been  the  dupe  of  his  own 
imagination,  is  probable  enough  ;  but  a  healthy  mind  does 
not  permit  a  delusion  to  be  indefinitely  prolonged — it 
struggles  with  the  hallucination,  and  eventually  shakes 
it  off;  providing  always  the  mind  has  a  shadow,  and  not 
a  reality,  to  deal  with,  and  that  the  patient  is  not  a 
monomaniac.  The  dilemma  was  consequently  reduced  to 
this  position — either  Willis  was  mad,  or  Captain  Littlestone 
was  on  board  the  Boudeuse. 

In  all  other  respects,  Willis  was  perfectly  sane.  He 
himself  searched  every  corner  of  the  ship,  but  without 
other  result  than  a  confirmation  of  his  own  impression  that 
there  were  no  officers  on  board  other  than  those  of  the 
corvette  ;  and  yet,  notwithstanding  his  own  conviction  in 


316  WILLIS    THE    PILOT. 

daylight,  he  still  continued  to  assert  the  reality  of  his 
interviews  with  Captain  Littlestone  during  the  night.  The 
Italians  say,  La  speranza  e  il  sogno  d'an  uomo  svegliato. 
Was  Willis  also  dreaming  with  his  eyes  open  ?  Might  not 
the  wish  be  father  to  the  thought,  and  the  thought  produce 
the  fancy?  There  is  only  one  other  supposition  to  be 
hazarded  —  could  it  be  possible,  in  spite  of  all  his  re- 
searches, that  Willis  did  see  what  he  maintained  with  so 
much  pertinacity  he  had  seen  ? 

These  questions  are  too  astute  to  admit  of  answers  with- 
out due  consideration  and  reflection ;  therefore,  with  the 
reader's  permission,  we  shall  leave  the  replies  over  for  the 
present. 

On  the  12th  June  a  voice  from  the  mast-head  called 
"  Land  ahoy !  "  much  to  the  delight  of  the  voyagers.  The 
land  in  question  was  the  island  of  St.  Helena.  This  sea- 
girt ft»ck  had  not  at  that  time  become  classic  ground.  It 
had  not  yet  become  the  prison  and  mausoleum  of  Napoleon 
the  Great.  The  petulant  squabbles  between  Sir  Hudson 
Lowe  and  his  illustrious  prisoner  had  not  been  heard  of. 
Little  wotted  then  the  proud  ruler  of  France  the  fate  that 
awaited  him,  for,  when  the  Boudeuse  touched  at  the  island, 
all  Europe,  with  the  single  exception  of  England,  was 
kneeling  at  his  feet. 

On  the  30th  the  Island  of  Ascension  was  reached.  Here, 
in  accordance  with  a  usage  peculiar  to  French  sailors,  a 
bottle,  containing  a  short  abstract  of  the  ship's  log,  was 
committed  to  the  deep.  Willis  -thought  this  ceremony, 
under  existing  circumstances,  would  have  been  Setter 
observed  in  the  breach  than  the  observance,  for,  said  he, 
if  a  British  cruiser  picked  up  that  bottle  within  twenty-four 
hours,  she  stood  a  chance  of  picking  up  the  Boudeuse  as 
well. 

On  the  15th  July  the  peak  of  Teneriffe  hove  in  sight. 
This  remarkable  basaltic  rock  rises  to  the  extraordinary 
height  of  three  thousand  eight  hundred  yards  above  the 
level  of  the  sea ;  it  is  consequently  seen  at  a  considerable 
distance,  and  constitutes  a  valuable  landmark  for  navi- 
gators in  these  seas.  Six  weeks  later  the  Boudeus* 
dropped  anchor  in  the  Havre  roads. 


WILL  IS    THE    PILOT.  317 

Here  the  three  adventurers  had  to  encounter  by  far  the 
greatest  misfortune  that  had  as  yet  befallen  them.  The 
continental  system  of  Napoleon  was  then  in  force.  The 
importation  of  everything  English  or  Indian  was  strictly 
prohibited.  The  carga  the  young  men  had  brought  with 
them  from  New  Switzerland,  which  already  had  escaped 
so  many  perils,  was,  therefore,  declared  contraband,  and 
seized  by  the  French  Jtsc  —  an  institution  that  rarely  per- 
mitted such  a  prize  to  quit  its  rapacious  grasp. 

Behold  now  our  poor  friends,  Fritz  and  Jack,  in  a 
strange  land,  deprived  at  once  of  their  fortune  and  their 
chance  of  returning  home  —  the  two  beacons  that  had 
cheered  them  on  their  way  !  All  their  bright  hopes  of  the 
future  were  thus  annihilated  at  one  fell  swoop.  Their 
fortitude  almost  gave  way  under  the  severity  of  this  blow ; 
the  excess  of  their  distress  alone  saved  them.  Grief 
requires  leisure  to  give  itself  free  vent ;  but  when  we  are 
compelled,  by  absolute  necessity,  to  earn  our  daily  bread, 
we  cannot  find  time  for  tears  ;  and  such  was  the  case  with 
Willis  and  his  two  friends ;  they  were  here  without  a 
friend  and  without  resources  of  any  kind  whatever. 

If  they  had  only  known  Greek  and  Latin ;  if  they  had 
only  been  half  doctors  or  three-quarter  barristers,  or  if 
even  they  had  been  doctors  and  lawyers  complete,  it 
would  have  sorely  puzzled  their  skill  to  have  raised  a 
single  sous  in  hard  cash.  Fortunately,  however,  whilst 
cultivating  their  minds,  they  had  acquired  the  art  of  hand- 
ling a  saw  and  wielding  a  hammer.  The  blouse  of  the 
•workman,  consequently,  fitted  them  as  well  as  the  gown 
of  the  student,  and  they  set  themselves  manfully  to  earn  a 
living  by  the  sweat  of  their  brow.  They  were  carpenters 
and  blacksmiths  by  turns,  regulating  their  occupations  by 
the  grand  doctrines  of  supply  and  demand. 

Jack  alone  of  the  three  was  defective  in  steadiness ;  he 
only  joined  Willis  and  his  brother  at  mid-day.  What  he 
did  with  himself  during  the  forenoon  was  a  profound 
mystery.  He  rose  before  daybreak,  and  disappeared  no 
one  knew  where,  or  for  what  purpose.  His  companions  in 
adversity  endeavored  in  vain  to  discover  his  secret ;  he 
tras  determined  to  conceal  his  movements,  and 
27* 


318  WILLI3    THE    PILOT. 

in  baffling  their  curiosity.  To  judge,  however,  by  the 
ardor  with  which  he  worked,  he  was  engaged  in  some  one 
of  those  schemes  that  are  termed  follies  before  success,  but 
which,  after  success,  are  universally  acknowledged  to  be 
brilliant  and  praiseworthy  instances  of  industrial  enterprise. 

If,  after  a  hard  day's  work,  when  assembled  together  iu 
the  little  room  that  served  them  for  parlor,  kitchen,  and 
hall,  the  power  of  regret  vanquished  fatigue,  and  sadness 
drove  away  sleep,  then  Jack,  who  compared  himself  to 
Peter  the  Great,  when  a  voluntary  exile  in  the  shipyards 
of  Saardam,  would  endeavor  to  infuse  a  little  mirth  into 
the  lugubrious  party.  If  all  his  efforts  to  make  them 
merry  failed,  all  three  would  join  together  in  a  humble 
prayer  to  their  Heavenly  Father,  who  bestowed  resignation 
upon  them  instead. 

If  Willis  and  his  two  friends  were  not  accumulating 
wealth,  at  all  events  they  were  earning  the  bread  they  ate 
honestly  and  worthily.  They  had  all  three  laid  their 
shoulders  vigorously  to  the  wheel  and  kept  it  jogging  along 
marvellously  for  a  month.  By  that  time,  a  detailed  report 
of  the  seizure  of  their  property  had  been  placed  before 
the  director  of  the  Doinaine  Extraordinaire,  who  was  the 
sovereign  authority  in  all  matters  pertaining  to  the  ex- 
chequer of  the  empire.  He  saw  at  once  that  this  capture 
was  extremely  harsh,  and  probably  thought  that,  if  it 
became  known,  it  would  raise  a  storm  of  indignation  about 
the  ears  of  his  department.  Here  were  two  young  men  — 
Moseses,  as  it  were,  saved  from  the  bulrushes.  Lost  in 
the  desert  from  the  period  of  their  birth,  and  ignorant  of 
the  dissensions  then  raging  in  Europe,  they  were  unques- 
tionably beyond  the  ordinary  operation  of  the  law.  This 
will  never  do,  he  probably  said  to  himself;  the  civilization 
which  these  two  young  men  have  come  through  so  many 
perils  to  seek  ought  not  to  appear  to  them,  the  moment 
they  arrived  in  Europe,  in  the  form  of  spoliation  and 
barbarism. 

The  name  of  this  extraordinary  director  of  Doinaine 
Extraordinaire  was  M.  de  la  Boullerie,  and,  when  we  fall 
in  with  the  name  of  a  really  good-hearted  man,  we  delight 
to  record  it.  He  felt  that  the  two  young  men  had  been 


WILLIS    THK    PILOT.  319 

hardly  dealt  with,  but  he  had  not  the  power  to  order  a 
restitution  of  the  property,  now  that  the  seizure  had  been 
made,  and  sundry  perquisities,  of  course,  deducted  by  the 
excise  officials.  Accordingly,  he  referred  the  matter  to  the 
Emperor,  who  commanded  the  goods  to  be  immediately 
restored  intact.  Napoleon,  at  the  same  time,  praised  the 
functionary  we  have  named  for  calling  his  attention  to  the 
merits  of  the  case,  and  thanked  him  for  such  an  oppor- 
tunity of  repairing  an  injustice.* 

There  are  many  such  instances  of  generosity  as  the 
foregoing  in  the  career  of  the  great  Emperor  —  mild  rays 
of  the  sun  in  the  midst  of  thunderstorms ;  sweet  flowers 
blowing  here  and  there,  in  the  bosom  of  the  gigantic  pro- 
jects of  his  life  —  which  many  will  esteem  more  highly 
than  his  miracles  of  strategy  and  the  renown  of  his  battles. 
As  nothing  that  tends  to  elevate  the  soul  is  out  of  place 
in  this  volume,  we  may  be  permitted  to  insert  one  or  two 
of  these  anecdotes. 

In  1806,  Napoleon  was  at  Potsdam.  The  Prussians 
were  humbled  to  the  dust,  and  the  outrage  of  Rossbach 
had  been  fearfully  avenged.  A  letter  was  intercepted,  in 
which  Prince  Laatsfeld,  civil  governor  of  Berlin,  secretly 
informed  the  enemy  of  all  the  dispositions  of  the  French 
army.  The  crime  was  palpable,  capital,  and  unpardon- 
able. There  was  nothing  between  the  life  and  death  of 
the  prince,  except  the  time  to  load  half  a  dozen  muskets, 
point  them  to  his  breast,  and  cry  —  Fire.  The  princess 
flew  to  the  palace,  threw  herself  at  the  feet  of  the  Emperor, 
beseeched,  implored,  and  seemed  almost  heart-broken. 
"  Madam,"  said  Napoleon,  "  this  letter  is  the  only  proof 
that  exists  of  your  husband's  guilt.  Throw  it  into  the 
fire."  The  fatal  paper  blazed,  crisped,  passed  from  blue 
to  yellow,  and  the  treachery  of  Prince  Laatsfeld  was 
reduced  to  ashes. 

Another  time,  a  young  man,  named  Von  der  Sulhn, 
journeyed  from  Dresden  to  Paris  ;  unless  you  are  told,  you 
could  scarcely  imagine  for  what  purpose.  There  are 

*  This  circumstance  is  historical,  and  will  be  found  at  length  ia 
the  Memoirs  of  Napoleon,  by  Amedee  Goubard. 


320  WILLIS    THE    PILOT. 

people  who  travel  for  amusement,  for  business,  for  a 
change  of  air,  or  merely  to  be  able  to  say  they  have  been 
at  such  and  such  a  place.  Some  go  abroad  for  instruction, 
others,  perhaps,  with  no  other  object  in  view  than  to  eat 
frogs  in  Paris,  bouillabaisse  at  Marseilles,  a  polenta  at 
Milan,  macaroni  at  Naples,  an  olla  podrida  in  Spain,  or 
conscoussou  in  Africa.  Von  der  Sulhn  travelled  to  assas- 
sinate the  Emperor.  Like  Scaevola  and  Brutus,  he,  no 
doubt,  imagined  the  crime  would  hand  down  his  name  to 
posterity.  In  youth,  all  of  us  have  erred  in  judgment 
more  or  less.  Sulhn  thought  the  Emperor  ought  to  be 
slain.  Unfortunately  for  him,  the  Duke  of  Rovigo,  the 
then  minister  of  police,  entertained  a  different  opinion. 
He  thought,  in  point  of  fact,  that  the  Emperor  ought  not 
to  be  killed:  hence  it  was  that  the  young  Saxon  found 
himself  in  chains,  and  that  the  Duke  went  to  ask  the 
Emperor  what  he  should  do  with  him.  We  ought,  how- 
ever, to  mention  that  the  young  man,  in  his  character  of 
an  enlightened  German,  testified  his  regret  that  he  had  not 
succeeded  in  carrying  out  his  project,  and  protested  that, 
in  the  event  of  regaining  his  liberty,  he  would  renew 
the  attempt.  "  Never  mind,"  said  the  Emperor  to  the 
duke,  "  the  young  man's  age  is  his  excuse.  Do  not  make 
the  affair  public,  for,  if  it  is  bruited  about,  I  must  punish 
the  headstrong  youth,  which  I  have  no  wish  to  do.  I 
should  be  sorry  to  plunge  a  worthy  family  into  grief  by 
immolating  such  a  scapegrace.  Send  him  to  Viricennes 
give  him  some  books  to  read,  and  write  to  his  mother." 
In  1814,  the  young  man  obtained  his  liberty,  his  family, 
and  his  Germany,  and  it  is  to  be  hoped  that  lie  afterwards 
became  a  respectable  pater-familias,  a  sort  of  Aulic  coun- 
cillor, and  that,  during  the  troublesome  times  in  the  land 
of  Sauerkraut,  he  was  before,  and  not  behind,  the  barri- 
cades of  his  darling  patria.  If  he  be  dead,  it  is  to  ho 
supposed  that,  instead  of  lying  a  headless  trunk  ignomin- 
iously  in  a  ditch,  or  in  the  unconsecrated  cemetery  of  Cla- 
mort,  he  is  reposing  entire  in  the  paternal  tomb. 

On  the  15th  of  March,  1815,  the  Emperor  landed  at 
Cannes  —  he  had  returned  from  the  island  of  Elba.  Oi\ 
the  beach  he  was  joined  by  one  man.  at  Antibe:-  by  a  roisk- 


WILLIS    THE    PILOT.  321 

pany,  at  Digne  by  a  battalion,  at  Gap  by  a  regiment  (that 
of  Laoedoyere),  at  Grenoble  by  an  army.  The  hearts  of 
the  soldiers  of  France  went  to  him  like  steel  to  the  load- 
stone— first  a  drop,  and  then  a  torrent ;  the  Empire,  like 
a  snowball,  increased  as  it  progressed.  At  Lyons,  the 
Count  of  Artois,  the  setting  sun,  is  obliged  to  go  out  of  one 
gate  the  moment  that  Napoleon,  the  rising  sun,  comes  in 
at  another.  Smiles,  orations,  triumphal  arches,  and  even 
the  discourses  that  had  been  prepared  to  welcome  the 
Bourbons,  were  used  to  congratulate  their  successor  on  his 
return.  Cockades  and  flags  were  altered  to  suit  the  occa- 
sion, by  inserting  a  stripe  of  red  here  and  another  of  blue 
there.  One  national  guard,  but  only  one,  remained  faith- 
ful to  the  Bourbons ;  he  would  neither  alter  his  cockade 
nor  his  colors,  and  remained  true  to  his  patrons  in  the 
hour  of  disaster.  Everybody  asked,  what  would  the  Em- 
peror do  with  him  ?  Would  he  be  imprisoned  or  banished  ? 
Neither ;  the  Emperor  sent  him  a  cross  of  the  order  of 
merit !  It  is,  no  doubt,  grand  to  have  overthrown  the 
brilliant  army  of  Murad  Bey  in  Egypt;  to  have  vanquished 
Melas,  Wurmser,  and  Davidowich  in  Italy;  Bragation, 
Kutusoff,  and  Barclay  de  Tolly  in  Russia ;  Mack  in  Ger- 
many ;  and  thus  to  have  reduced  the  entire  continent  of 
Europe  to  subjection.  But  it  appears  to  us  that  a  still 
greater  feat  was  the  victory  he  gained  over  himself,  when, 
in  the  midst  of  the  fever  excited  by  his  return,  and  the 
animosity  of  parties,  he  gave  this  cross  to  the  solitary  ad- 
herent of  misfortune.  Having  made  these  slight  digres- 
sions into,  the  future,  it  is  proper  that  we  should  return  to 
our  story. 

The  mysterious  roads  of  Providence  do  not  always  lead 
to  the  places  they  seem  to  go ;  it  often  happens  that,  when 
we  expect  to  be  swallowed  up  by  the  breakers  that  sur- 
round us,  we  are  wafted  into  a  harbor,  and  that  we  encoun- 
ter success  where  we  only  anticipated  disappointment. 
The  rigorous  enactments  of  the  continental  system,  that  the 
other  day  had  ruined  the  two  brothers,  became  all  at  once 
the  source  of  unlooked-for  wealth ;  for,  on  account  of  the 
scarcity  of  colonial  produce,  a  scarcity  dating  from  the  pro- 


522  WILLIS    THE    PILOT. 

hibitory  laws  promulgated  in  1 807,  the  merchandise  of  the 
young  men  had  more  than  quadrupled  in  value. 

From  the  grade  of  hard-working  mechanics  they  were 
suddenly  promoted  to  the  rank  of  wealthy  merchants. 
They  consequently  abandoned  the  laborious  employments 
that  for  a  month  had  enabled  them  to  live,  and  to  keep 
despair  and  misery  at  bay.  Willis,  greatly  to  his  incon- 
venience, found  himself  trunsformed  into  a  gentleman  at 
large,  which  caused  him  to  make  some  material  alterations 
in  the  manipulation  and  quality  of  his  pipes. 

Fritz  busied  himself  in  collecting  in,  the  by  no  means 
inconsiderable  sums,  which  their  property  realised.  He 
did  not  value  the  gold  for  its  glitter  or  its  sound,  he  valued 
it  only  as  a  means  of  enabling  himself  and  his  brother  to 
return  promptly  to  their  ocean  home.  Jack  undertook  the 
task  of  finding  a  scalpel  to  save  his  mother — doubtless  a 
diflicult  task;  for  how  was  he  to  induce  a  surgeon  of 
standing  to  abandon  his  connexion,  his  family,  and  his 
fame,  and  to  undertake  a  perilous  voyage  to  the  antipodes, 
for  the  purpose  of  performing  an  operation  in  a  desert, 
where  there  were  neither  newspapers  to  proclaim  it,  acade- 
micians to  discuss  it,  nor  ribbons  to  reward  it?  As  for 
the  gentlemen  of  the  dentist  and  barber  school,  like  Drs. 
Sangrado  and  Fontanarose  of  Figaro,  the  remedy  was  even 
worse  by  a  great  deal  than  the  disease.  But,  as  we  have 
said,  Jack  promised  to  find  a  surgeon,  and  the  research 
was  so  arduous,  that  he  was  scarcely  ever  seen  during  the 
day  by  either  Willis  or  his  brother. 

To  Willis  was  confided  the  office  of  chartering  a  ship  for 
the  homeward  voyage,  and  there  were  not  a  few  obstacles 
to  overcome  in  order  to  accomplish  this.  French  ship- 
masters at  that  time  engaged  in  very  little  legitimate  busi- 
ness ;  they  embarked  their  capital  in  privateering,  prefer- 
ing  to  capture  the.  merchantmen  of  England  to  risking  their 
owh.  One  morning,  Willis  started  as  usual  in  search  of  a 
ship,  but  soon  returned  to  the  inn  where  they  had  estab- 
lished their  head-quarters  in  a  state  of  bewilderment;  he 
threw  himself  into  a  chair,  and,  before  he  could  utter  a 
word,  had  to  fill  his  pipe  and  light  it. 


WILLIS   THE    PILOT.  823 

u  Well,"  said  he,  "  I  am  completely  and  totally  flabber- 
gasted." 

"What  about?"  inquired  the  two  brothers. 

"  You  could  not  guess,  for  the  life  of  you,  what  has  hap- 
pened." 

"  Perhaps  not,  Willis,  and  would  therefore  prefer  you  to 
tell  us  at  once  what  it  is." 

"  After  this,"  continued  Willis,  "  no  one  need  tell  me 
that  there  are  no  miracles  now-a-days."  % 

"  Then  you  have  stumbled  upon  a  miracle,  have  you, 
Willis?" 

"  I  should  think  so.  That  they  do  not  happen  every  day, 
I  can  admit ;  but  I  have  a  proof  that  they  do  come  about 
sometimes." 

"  Very  probably,  Willis." 

"  It  is  my  opinion  that  Providence  often  leads  us  about 
by  the  hands,  just  as  little  children  are  taken  to  school,  lest 
they  should  be  tempted  to  play  truant  by  the  way." 

"Not  unlikely,  Willis;  but  the  miracle!" 

"  I  was  going  along  quietly,  not  thinking  I  was  being 
led  anywhere  in  particular,  when,  all  at  once,  I  was  hove 

up  by If  a  bullet  had^hit  me  right  in  the  breast,  I 

could  not  have  been  more  staggered." 

"  Whatever  hove  you  up  then,  Willis  ?  " 

"  I  was  hove  up  by  the  sloop." 

"What  sloop?" 

"  The  Nelson." 

"Was  it  taking  a  walk,  Willis?"  inquired  Jack. 

"  Have  you  been  to  sea  since  we  saw  you  last  ?  "  asked 
Fritz. 

"  If  I  had  fallen  in  with  the  craft  at  sea,  Master  Fritz, 
I  should  not  have  been  half  so  much  astonished.  The  sea 
is  the  natural  element  of  ships ;  we  do  not  find  gudgeons 
in  corn  fields,  nor  shoot  hares  on  the  ocean.  But  it  was  on 
land  that  I  hailed  the  Nelson." 

"  Was  it  going  round  the  corner  of  a  street  that  you 
•tumbled  upon  it,  Willis  ?  "  inquired  Jack. 

"  Not  exactly  ;  but  to  make  a  long  story  short " 

"  When  you  talk  of  cutting  anything  short,  we  are  in  for 
a  yarn,"  said  Jack. 


324  WILLIS    THE   PILOT. 

"  And  you  are  sure  to  interrupt  him  in  the  middle  of  it," 
said  Fritz. 

"  "Well,  in  two  words,"  said  Willis,  knocking  the  ashes 
out  of  his  pipe,  "  I  was  cruising  about  the  shipyards,  look- 
ing if  there  was  a  condemned  craft  likely  to  suit  us  —  some 
of  them  had  gun-shot  wounds  in  their  timbers,  others  had 
been  slewed  up  by  a  shoal  —  and,  to  cut  the  matter 
short " 

"  Another  yarn,"  suggested  Jack. 

"  I  luffed  up  beside  the  hull  of  a  cutter-looking  craft 
that  had  been  completely  gutted.  But,  changed  and  di- 
lapidated as  that  hull  is,  I  recognized  it  at  once  to  be  that 
of  the  Nelson.  Now  do  you  believe  in  miracles  ?  " 

"  But  are  you  sure,  Willis  ?  " 

"  Suppose  you  met  Ernest  or  Frank  in  the  street  to- 
morrow, pale,  meagre,  and  in  rags,  would  you  recognize 
them?" 

"  Most  assuredly." 

"  Well,  by  the  same  token,  sailors  can  always  recognize 
a  ship  they  have  sailed  in.  They  know  the  form  of  every 
plank  and  the  line  of  every  bend.  There  are  hundreds 
of  marks  that  get  spliced  in^  the  memory,  and  are  never 
forgotten.  But  in  the  present  case  there  is  no  room  for 
any  doubt,  a  portion  of  the  figure  head  is  still  extant,  and 
the  word  Nelson  can  be  made  out  without  spectacles." 

"  But  how  did  it  get  there  ?  " 

"  You  know,  Master  Fritz,  it  could  not  have  told  me, 
even  if  I  had  taken  the  trouble  to  inquire." 

"  Very  true,  Willis." 

"  I  was  determined,  however,  to  find  it  out  some  other 
way,  so  I  steered  for  a  cafe  near  the  harbor,  where  the 
pilots  and  long-shore  captains  go  to  play  at  dominoes.  I 
was  in  hopes  of  picking  up  some  stray  waif  of  information, 
and,  sooth  to  say,  I  was  not  altogether  disappointed." 

"  Another  meeting,  I'll  be  bound,"  said  Jack. 

"  My  falling  in  with  the  Nelson  astonished  you,  did  it 
not?"' 

"  Rather." 

"  Then  I'll  bet  my  best  pipe  that  this  one  will  8urpv!?<? 


WILLIS   THE   riLOT.  325 

you  still  more.  You  recollect  my  comrade,  Bill,  alias 
Bob,  of  the  Hoboken  ?  " 

"  Yes,  perfectly." 

"  Then  I  met  him." 

"  What !  the  man  who  had  both  his  legs  shot  off,  and 
died  in  consequence  of  his  wounds?"  inquired  Jack. 

"  The  same." 

"  And  that  was  afterwards  thrown  overboard  with  a 
twenty-four  pound  shot  tied  to  his  feet ! "  exclaimed  Fritz. 

"  The  same." 

At  this  astonishing  assertion  the  young  men  regarded 
Willis  with  an  air  of  apprehension. 

"  You  think  I  am  mad,  no  doubt,  do  you  not  ?  " 

"  Whatever  can  we  think,  Willis  ?  " 

"  I  admit  that  my  statement  looks  very  like  it  at  first 
sight,  but  still  you  are  wrong,  as  you  will  see  by-and-by. 
I  could  scarcely  believe  my  eyes  when  I  saw  him.  *  Is 
that  you,  Bill  Stubbs,'  says  I,  '  at  last  ? ' 

"  '  Lor  love  ye  ! '  says  he,  '  is  that  you,  Pilot  ? ' 

"  He  then  took  hold  of  my  hand,  and  gave  it  such  a 
shake  as  almost  wrenched  it  off. 

"•*  Where  in  all  the  earth  did  you  hail  from  ? '  he  said. 
'  I  thought  you  were  dead  and  gone  ?  ' 

"  '  And  I  thought  you  were  the  same,'  said  I,  '  and  no 
mistake.' 

"  '  Alive  and  hearty  though,  as  you  see,  Pilot ;  only  a 
little  at  sea  amongst  the  mounseers.' 

"  '  But  what  about  the  Hoboken  ? '  says  I. 

"  '  What  Hoboken  ?'  says  he. 

u  '  Were  you  not  aboard  a  Yanke  cruiser  some  months 
back?' 

" '  Never  was  aboard  a  Yankee  in  all  my  life,'  says 
Bill. 

"  And  no  more  he  was,  for  he  never  left  the  Nelson  till 
she  was  high  and  dry  in  Havre  dock-yard;  so,  the  short 
and  the  long  of  it  is,  that  I  must  have  been  wrong  in  that 
instance." 

"  So  I  should  think,"  remarked  Fritz. 

"  Yet  the  resemblance  was  very  remarkable;  the  only 
28 


326  WILLIS    THE    PILOT. 

difference  was  a  carbuncle  on  the  nose,  which  the  real 
Bill -has  and  the  other  has  not,  but  which  I  had  forgotten." 

"  Like  Cicero,"  remarked  Jack. 

"  Another  Admiral  ?  "  inquired  Willis,  drily. 

"No,  he  was  only  an  orator." 

"  Bill  soon  satisfied  me  that  he  was  the  very  identical 
William  Stubbs,  and  that  the  other  was  only  a  very  good 
imitation." 

"  He  did  not  receive  you  with  a  punch  in  the  ribs,  at  all 
events,  like  the  apocryphal  Bill,"  remarked  Jack. 

"  No ;  but  what  is  more  to  the  purpose,  he  told  me  that, 
after  having  struggled  with  the  terrible  tempest  off  New 
Switzerland  —  which  you  recollect  —  the  Nelson  found 
herself  at  such  a  distance,  that  Captain  Littlestone  re- 
solved to  proceed  on  his  voyage,  and  to  return  again  as 
speedily  as  possible. 

"  'We  arrived  at  the  Cape  all  right,'  added  Bill,  'land- 
ed the  New  Switzerland  cargo,  and  sailed  again  with  the 
Rev.  Mr.  Wolston  on  board.  A  few  days  after  leaving 
the  Cape,  we  were  pounced  upon  by  a  French  frigate; 
the  Nelson,  with  its  crew,  was  sent  off  as  a  prize  to  Havre, 
and  here  I  have  been  ever  since,'  said  Bill,  '  a  prisoner  at 
large,  allowed  to  pick  up  a  living  as  I  can  amongst  the 
shipping.' " 

"  And  the  remainder  of  the  crew  ?  "  inquired  Fritz. 

"  Are  all  here  prisoners  of  war." 

"  And  the  Rev.  Mr.  Wolston  and  the  captain  ?  " 

"  Are  prisoners  on  parole." 

«  Where  ?  " 

"  Here." 

"  What !  in  Havre  ?  " 

"  Yes,  close  at  hand,  in  the  Hotel  d'Espagne." 

"And  we  sitting  here,"  cried  Jack,  snatching  up  his 
hat  and  rushing  down  stairs  four  steps  at  a  time. 

Willis  and  Fritz  followed  as  fast  as  they  could. 

When  they  all  three  reached  the  bottom  of  the  stairs. 

"  If  Captain  Littlestone  is  here,  Willis,"  said  Jack,  "  he 
could  not  have  been  on  board  the  Boudeuse." 

"  That  is  true,  Master  Jack." 


WILLIS    THE    t-lLOT.  327 

"  In  that  cass,  Great  Rono,  you  must  Lave  been  dream- 
ing in  the  corvette  as  well  as  in  the  Yankee." 

"  No,"  insisted  Willis,  "  it  was  no  dream,  I  am  certain 
of  that." 

"  Explain  the  riddle,  then." 

"  I  cannot  do  that  just  at  present,  but  it  may  be  cleared 
up  by-and-by,  like  all  the  mysteries  and  miracles  that  sur- 
round us." 


CHAPTER  XXVII. 

CAPTAIN  LITTLEBTONE  IS  FOUND,    AND  THE  REV.  MR.  WOLSTON  18 
SEEN  FOB  THE  FIRST  TIME. 

JACK,  on  arriving  at  the  hotel,  ascertained  the  number 
of  the  room  in  which  Captain  Littlestone  was  located. 
In  his  hurry  to  see  his  old  friend,  the  young  man  did  not 
stop  to  knock  at  the  door,  but  entered  without  ceremony, 
with  Fritz  and  Willis  at  his  heels.  They  found  them- 
selves in  the  presence  of  two  gentlemen,  one  of  whom  sat 
with  his  face  buried  in  his  hands,  the  other  was  reading 
what  appeared  to  be  a  small  bible. 

The  latter  was  a  young  man  seemingly  of  about  twenty- 
four  or  twenty-five  years  of  age.  He  had  a  mild  but  no- 
ble bearing,  and  his  aspect  denoted  habitual  meditation. 
His  eyes  were  remarkably  piercing  and  expressive  ;  in 
short,  he  was  one  of  those  men  at  whom  we  are  led  in- 
voluntarily to  cast  a  glance  of  respect,  without  very  well 
knowing  why  ;  perhaps  it  might  be  owing  to  the  gravity 
of  his  demeanour,  perhaps  to  the  peculiar  decorum  of  his 
deportment,  or  perhaps  to  the  scrupulous  propriety  of  his 
"dress.  He  raised  his  eyes  from  the  book  he  held  in  his 
hand,  and  gazed  tranquilly  at  the  three  figures  who  had  so 
abruptly  interrupted  his  reveries. 

"  May  I  inquire,"  said  he,  "  to  what  we  owe  this  in- 
trusion on  our  privacy,  gentlemen  ?  " 

"  We  have  to  apologise  for  our  rudeness,"  said  Fritz  ; 
"  but  are  you  not  the  Rev.  Mr.  Wolston  ?n 

"  My  name  is  Charles  Wolston,  and  I  am  a  minister  of 
the  gospel,  and  missionary  of  the  church." 

"  Then,  sir,"  continued  Fritz,  "  I  am  the  bearer  of  a 
message  from  your  father." 

"  From  my  father  !  "  exclaimed  the  missionary,  starting 
up  ;  "  you  come  then  from  the  Pacific  Ocean  ?  " 


WILLIS    THE    PILOT.  329 

Here  the  second  gentleman  raised  his  head,  and  looked 
as  if  he  had  just  awakened  from  a  dream.  He  gazed  at 
the  speakers  with  a  puzzled  air. 

"  Do  you  know  me,  captain  ?  "  said  Willis. 

Littlestone,  for  it  was  he,  continued  to  gaze  in  mute 
astonishment,  as  if  the  events  of  the  past  had  been  defiling 
through  his  memory ;  and  he  probably  thought  that  the 
figures  before  him  were  mere  phantom  creations  of  his 
brain. 

"  Willis  !  can  it  be  possible  ? "  he  exclaimed,  taking  at 
the  same  time  the  Pilot's  proffered  hand. 

"  Yes,  captain,  as  you  see." 

*'  And  the  two  young  Beckers,  as  I  live  !  "  cried  Little- 
stone. 

"  Yes,"  said  Jaek,  "  and  delighted  to  find  you  at  last.*' 

Littlestone  then  shook  them  all  heartily  by  the  hand. 

"  It  is  but  a'  poor  welcome  that  I,  a  prisoner  in  the 
enemy's  country,  can  give  you  to  Europe;  still  I  am  truly 
overjoyed  to  see  you.  But  where  have  you  all  come 
from  ?  " 

"  From  New  Switzerland,"  replied  Jack. 

"  But  how  ?  " 

"  By  sea." 

u  That,  of  course  ;  and  I  presume  another  ship  an  'hored 
in  Safety  Bay  ?  " 

"  No,  captain.  Seeing  you  did  not  return  to  us,  we 
embarked  in  the  pinnace  and  came  in  search  of  you." 

"  Your  pinnace  was  but  indifferently  calculated  to 
weather  a  gale,  keeping  out  of  view  the  other  dangers  in- 
cidental to  such  a  voyage." 

"  True,  captain ;  but  my  brother  and  I,  with  Willis  for 
a  pilot  and  Providence  for  a  guardian,  ventured  to  brave 
these  perils ;  and  here  we  are,  as  you  see." 

"  And  your  mother  consented  to  such  a  dangerous  pro- 
ceeding, did  she  ?  " 

"  It  was  for  her,  and  yet  against  her  will,  that  we  em- 
barked on  the  voyage." 

"  I  do  not  understand." 

"  For  her,  because,  when  we  left,  she  was  dying." 

"  Dying,  say  you  ?  " 
28* 


330  yriLLis  THE  PILOT. 

"  Yes,  and  our  object  in  coming  to  Europe  was  chiefly 
to  obtain  surgical  aid." 

"  And  have  you  found  a  surgeon  '  " 

"  Not  yet,  but  we  are  in  hopes  of  finding  one.'' 

"  If  money  is  wanted,  besides  the  value  of  the  'cargo  I 
landed  for  you  at  the  Cape,  you  may  command  my  purse.'' 

"  A  thousand  thanks,  captain,  but  the  merchandise  we 
have  here  is  likely  to  be  sufficient  for  our  purpose.  Un- 
fortunately, gold  is  not  the  only  thing  that  is  requisite." 

"What,  then?" 

"  In  the  first  place,  a  disinterested  love  of  humanity  is 
needful ;  there  are  few  men  of  science  and  skill  who  would 
not  risk  more  than  they  would  gain  by  accepting  any  offer 
we  can  make.  It  is  not  easy  to  find  the  heart  of  a  son  in 
the  body  of  a  physician." 

"  What,  then,  will  you  do,  my  poor  friend  ?  " 

"  That  is  my  secret,  captain." 

During  this  conversation,  the  missionary  had  put  a 
thousand  questions  to  Willis  and  Fritz  relative  to  his 
father,  mother,  and  sisters,  and  a  smile  now  and  then  lit 
up  his  features  as  Fritz  related  some  of  the  family  mishaps. 

"  You  must  have  undergone  some  hardships  in  your 
voyage  from  the  antipodes  to  Havre  de  Grace,"  said  Lit- 
tlestone  to  Jack,  "  notwithstanding  the  skill  of  my  friend 
the  Pilot." 

"  Yes,  captain,  a  few,"  replied  Jack.  "  I  myself  made 
a  narrow  escape  from  being  killed  and  eaten  by  a  couple 
of  savages." 

"  And  how  did  you  escape  ?  " 

"  Providence  interfered  at  the  critical  moment." 

"  Well,  so  I  should  imagine." 

"  Our  friend  the  Pilot  was  more  fortunate  ;  he  was  ab- 
ducted by  the  natives  of  Hawai ;  but,  instead  of  converting 
him  into  mincemeat,  they  transformed  him  into  a  divinity, 
bore  him  along  in  triumph  to  a  temple,  where  he  was  per- 
fumed with  incense,  and  had  sacrifices  oifered  up  to  him." 

"  Willis  must  have  felt  himself  highly  honored,"  said 
the  captain,  smiling. 

"  These  fine  things  did  not,  however,  last  long,  for  next 
day  they  were  wound  up  with  a  cloud  of  arrows." 


WILLIS    THE    PILOT.  331 

"  And  another  interposition  of  Providence  ?  " 

"  Yes,  none  of  the  arrows  were  winged  with  death." 

"  After  that,"  remarked  Willis,  "  we  fell  in  with  a 
Yankee  cruiser,  were  taken  on  board,  and  carried  into  the 
latitude  of  the  Bahamas,  where  we  fell  in  with  Old  Flyblow, 
who,  after  a  tough  set-to,  sent  the  Yankee  a  prize  to 
Bermuda,  and  took  us  on  board  as  passengers." 

"  And,"  added  Jack,  "  whilst  we  were  under  protection 
of  the  American  flag,  Willis  fell  in  with  a  certain  Bill 
Stubbs,  who  was  shot  in  the  fight  and  died  of  his  wounds. 
This  trifling  accident  did  not,  however,  prevent  Willis 
falling  in  with  him  alive  in  Havre." 

"  You  still  seem  to  delight  in  paradoxes,  Master  Jack," 
said  the  captain. 

"The  English  cruiser,"  continued  Jack,  "  was  afterwards 
captured  by  a  French  corvette,  on  which  it  appears  you 
were  on  boai*l  incognito" 

u  What !  I  on  board  ?  " 

"  Yes ;  ask  Willis." 

"  If  you  were  not,  captain,  how  could  you  come  to  my 
cabin  every  night  and  ask  me  questions  ? "  inquired  the 
latter. 

At  this  point,  a  shade  of  anxiety  crossed  Littlestone's 
features;  he  turned  and  looked  at  the  missionary  —  the 
missionary  looked  at  Fritz  —  Fritz  stared  at  his  brother 
—  Jack  gazed  at  Willis  —  and  Willis,  with  a  puzzled  air, 
regarded  everybody  in  turn. 

"At  last,"  continued  Jack,  "after  experiencing  a  variety 
of  both  good  and  bad  fortune,  sometimes  vanquished  and 
sometimes  the  victors,  first  wounded,  then  cured,  we  arrived 
here  in  Havre,  where,  for  a  time,  we  were  plunged  into 
the  deepest  poverty  ;  we  were  blacksmiths  and  carpenters 
by  turns,  and  thought  ourselves  fortunate  when  we  had 
a  chair  to  mend  or  a  horse  to  shoe." 

"  The  workings  of  Providence,"  said  the  missionary, 
"  are  very  mysterious,  and,  perhaps,  you  will  allow  me  to 
illustrate  this  fact  by  drawing  a  comparison.  A  ship  is  at 
the  mercy  of  the  waves ;  it  sways,  like  a  drunken  man, 
sometimes  one  way  and  sometimes  another.  All  on  board 
are  in  commotion,  some  are  hurrying  down  the  hatchways, 


332  WILLIS    TUK    1'ILOT. 


and  others  are  hurrying  up.  The  sailors  are  twisting  the 
sails  about  in  every  possible  direction.  Some  of  the  men 
are  closing  up  the  port-holes,  others  are  working  at  the 
pumps.  The  officers  are  issuing  a  multiplicity  of  orders 
at  once,  the  boatswain  is  constantly  sounding  his  whistle. 
There  is  no  appearance  of  order,  confusion  seems  to  reign 
triumphant,  and  there  is  every  reason  to  believe  that  the 
commands  are  issued  at  random." 

"  I  have  often  wondered,"  said  Jack,  "  how  so  many 
directions  issued  on  ship  board  in  a  gale  at  one  and  the 
same  moment  could  possibly  be  obeyed." 

"  Let  us  descend,  however,  to  the  captain's  cabin,"  con- 
tinued the  missionary.  "He  is  alone,  collected,  thoughtful, 
and  tranquil,  his  eye  fixed  upon  a  chart.  Now  he  observes 
the  position  of  the  sun,  and  marks  the  meridian  ;  then  he 
examines  the  compass,  and  notes  the  polary  deviation.  On 
all  sides  are  sextants,  quadrants,  and  chronometers.  He 
quietly  issues  an  order,  which  is  echoed  and  repeated 
above,  and  thus  augments  the  babel  on  deck." 

"  A  single  order,"  remarked  Willis,  "  often  gives  rise  to 
changes  in  twenty  different  directions." 

"  On  deck,"  continued  the  missionary,  "  the  crew  appear 
completely  disorganized.  In  the  captain's  cabin,  you  find 
that  all  this  apparent  confusion  is  the  result  of  calculation, 
and  is  essential  to  the  safety  of  the  ship." 

"  Still,"  said  Jack,  "  it  is  difficult  to  see  how  this  result 
is  effected  by  disorder." 

"  True  ;  and,  therefore,  we  must  rely  upon  the  skill  of 
the  captain  ;  we  behold  nothing  but  uproar,  but  we  know 
that  all  is  governed  by  the  most  perfect  discipline.  So  it 
is  with  the  world  ;  society  is  a  ship,  men  and  their  passions 
are  the  mast,  sails,  rigging,  the  anchors,  quadrants,  and 
sextants  of  Providence.  We  understand  nothing  of  the 
combined  action  of  these  instruments  ;  we  tremble  at 
every  shock,  and  fear  that  every  whirlwind  is  destined  to 
sweep  us  away.  But  let  us  penetrate  into  the  chamber  of 
the  Great  Ruler.  He  issues  his  commands  tranquilly  ;  we 
see  that  He  is  watching  over  our  safety  ;  and  whatever 
happens,  our  hearts  beat  with  confidence,  and  our  minds 
are  at  rest." 


WILLIS    THE    PILOT.  333 

"  Therefore,"  added  Littlestone,  "  we  are  resigned  to  our 
fate  as  prisoners  of  war ;  but  still  we  hope." 

"  And  not  without  good  reason,"  said  Willis ;  "  for  it 
will  go  hard  with  me  if  I  do  not  realize  your  hopes,  and 
that  very  shortly  too." 

"  I  do  not  see  very  well  how  our  hopes  of  liberty  can  be 
realized  till  peace  is  proclaimed." 

"  Peace  !  "  exclaimed  Willis.  "  Yes,  in  another  twenty 
years  or  so,  perhaps ;  to  wait  for  such  an  unlikely  event 
will  never  do ;  my  young  friend,  Master  Jack  Becker,  is 
in  a  hurry,  and  we  must  all  leave  this  place  within  a 
month  at  latest." 

"  You  mean  us,  then,  to  make  our  escape,  Willis ;  but 
that  is  impossible." 

"  I  have  an  idea  that  it  is  not  impossible,  captain  ;  the 
cargo  Masters  Fritz  and  Jack  have  here  will  realize  a 
large  sum  ;  the  pearls,  saffron,  and  cochineal,  are  bringing 
their  weight  in  gold.  I  shall  be  able  to  charter  or  buy  a 
ship  with  the  proceeds,  and  some  dark  night  we  shall  all 
embark ;  and  if  a  surgeon  is  not  willing  to  come  of  his 
own  accord,  I  shall  press  the  best  one  in  the  place :  it 
won't  be  the  first  time  I  have  done  such  a  thing,  with 
much  less  excuse." 

"  One  will  be  willing,"  said  Jack;  "so  you  need  not 
introduce  One-eyed  Dick's  schooner  here,  Willis." 

"  So  far  so  good,  then ;  it  only  remains  for  us  to  smuggle 
the  captain,  the  missionary,  and  the  crew  of  the  Nelson  on 
board." 

"  But  we  are  prisoners,"  said  Littlestone. 

"  I  know  that  well  enough ;  if  you  were  not  prisoners, 
of  course  there  would  be  no  difficulty." 

"  Recollect,  Willis,  we  are  not  only  prisoners,  but  we 
are  on  parole." 

"True,"  said  Willis,  scratching  his  ear,  "I  did  not 
tbink  of  that." 

"The  situation,"  remarked  Jack,  ."is  something  like 
that  of  Louis  XIV.  at  the  famous  passage  of  the  Rhine,  of 
whom  Boileau  said:  '  His  grandeur  tied  him  to  the  banks.' 
Had  you  been  only  a  common  sailor,  captain,  a  parole 
would  not  hav«  stood  in  the  way  of  your  escape." 


334  WILLIS    THE    PILOT. 

"  But,"  said  Willis,  "  the  parole  can  be  given  up,  can  it 
not.  ?  " 

"  Not  without  a  reasonable  excuse,"  replied  the  captain. 

"  Well,"  continued  Willis,  "  you  can  go  with  the  minister 
to  the  Maritime  Prefect,  and  say:  'Sir,  you  know  that 
everyone's  country  is  dear  to  one's  heart,  and  you  will  not 
be  astonished  to  hear  that  myself  and  friend  have  an 
ardent  desire  to  return  to  ours.  This  desire  on  our  part 
is  so  great,  that  some  day  we  may  be  tempted  to  fly,  and, 
consequently,  forfeit  our  honor ;  for,  after  ail,  there  are 
only  a  few  miles  of  sea  between  us  and  our  homes.  We 
ought  not  to  trust  to  our  strength  when  we  know  we  are 
weak.  Do  us,  therefore,  the  favor  to  withdraw  our 
parole ;  we  prefer  to  take  up  our  abode  in  a  prison,  so 
that,  if  we  can  escape,  we  may  do  so  with  our  honor 
intact." 

"  And  suppose  this  favor  granted,  we  shall  be  securely 
shut  up  in  a  dungeon.  I  scarcely  think  that  would  alter 
our  position  for  the  better,  or  render  our  escape  prac- 
ticable." 

"  You  will,  at  all  events,  be  free  to  try,  will  you  not  ?  " 

"  That  is  a  self-evident  proposition,  Willis,  and,  so  far 
as  that  goes,  I  have  no  objection  to  adopt  the  alternative 
of  prison  fare.  What  say  you,  minister?" 

"  As  for  myself,"  replied  the  missionary,  "  a  little  addi- 
tional hardship  may  do  me  good,  for  the  Scriptures  say : 
Suffering  purifieth  the  soul." 

"  We  shall,  therefore,  resign  our  paroles,  Willis ; 
but  bear  in  mind  that  it  is  much  easier  to  get  into 
prison  than  to  get  out." 

"  Leave  the  getting  out  to  me,  captain  ;  where  there's 
*  will  there's  always  a  way." 

"Do  you  think,"  whispered  the  captain  to  Fritz,  "that 
Willis  is  all  right  in  his  upper  story  ?  " 

Fritz  shook  his  head,  which,  in  the  ordinary  acceptation 
of  the  sign,  means,  I  really  do  not  know. 


CAAPTER  XXVIII. 

WILLIS  PROVES  THAT  THE  ONLT  WAT  TO  BE  PHEE  IS  TO  Oil 
SENT  TO  PRISON  —  AN  ESCAPE  —  A  DISCOVERY  —  PROMO- 
TIONS —  SOMNAMBULISM. 

THREE  weeks  after  the  events  narrated  in  the  foregoing 
chapter,  the  thrice-rescued  produce  of  Oceania  had  been 
converted  into  the  current  coin  of  the  empire. 

The  greater  portion  of  the  proceeds  was  placed  at  the 
disposal  of  Willis,  to  facilitate  him  in  procuring  the  means 
of  returning  to  New  Switzerland.  He  —  like  connoisseurs 
who  buy  up  seemingly  worthless  pictures,  because  they 
have  detected,  or  fancy  they  have  detected,  some  masterly 
touches  rarely  found  on  modern  canvas  —  had  bought,  not 
a  ship,  but  the  remains  of  what  had  once  been  one.  This 
he  obtained  for  almost  nothing,  but  he  knew  the  value  of 
his  purchase.  The  carcass  was  refitted  under  his  own  eye, 
and,  when  it  left  the  ship-yard,  looked  as  if  it  had  been 
launched  for  the  first  time.  The  timbers  were  old ;  but 
the  cabins  and  all  the  internal  fittings  were  new ;  a  few 
sheets  of  copper  and  the  paint-brush  accomplished  the 
rest.  When  the  mast  was  fitted  in,  and  the  new  sails  bent, 
the  little  sloop  looked  as  jaunty  as  a  nautilus,  and,  accord- 
ing to  Willis  himself,  was  the  smartest  little  craft  that 
ever  hoisted  a  union-jack. 

Whether  the  captain  and  the  missionary  still  entertained 
the  belief  that  the  Pilot's  wits  had  gone  a  wool-gathering 
or  not,  certain  it  is  that  they  had  followed  his  instructions, 
in  so  far  as  to  relinquish  their  parole,  and  thus  to  lose  their 
personal  liberty.  They  were  both  securely  locked  up  in 
one  of  the  rooms  or  cells  of  the  old  palace  or  castle  of 
Francois  I.,  which  was  then,  and  perhaps  is  still,  used  as 
the  state  prison  of  Havre  de  Grace.  This  fortalice  chiefly 
consists  of  a  battlemented  round  tower,  supported  by  strong 


336  WILLIS    THE    PILOT. 

bastions,  and  pierced,  here  and  there,  by  small  windows, 
strongly  barred.  The  foot  of  the  tower  is  bathed  by  the 
sea,  which,  as  Willis  afterwards  remarked,  was  not  only  a 
favor  granted  to  the  tower,  but  likewise  an  obligation 
conferred  upon  themselves. 

When  the  Pilot's  purchase  had  been  completely  re-fitted, 
stores  shipped,  papers  obtained,  and  every  requisite  made 
for  the  outward  voyage,  the  departure  of  the  three  adven- 
turers was  announced,  and  a  crowd  assembled  on  shore  to 
see  their  ship  leave  the  harbor.  She  was  towed  out  to  the 
roads,  where  she  lay  tranquilly  mirrored  in  the  sea,  ready 
to  start  the  moment  her  commander  stepped  on  board. 
Neither  Fritz  nor  Jack,  however,  had  yet  completed  their 
preparations.  For  the  moment,  therefore,  the  vessel  was 
left  in  charge  of  some  French  seamen,  whom  Willis, 
however,  had  taken  care  to  engage  only  for  a  short  period. 

Somewhere  about  a  week  after  this,  Fritz  and  Jack,  in 
a  small  boat,  painted  perfectly  black  and  manned  by  four 
stout  rowers,  with  muffled  oars,  were  lurking  about  the 
fortalice  already  mentioned.  The  night  was  pitch  dark, 
and  there  was  no  moon.  The  waves  beat  sullenly  on  the 
foot  of  the  tower  and  surged  back  upon  themselves,  like 
an  enraged  enemy  making  an  abortive  attempt  to  storm 
.the  walls  of  a  town.  Not  a  word  was  uttered,  and  the 
young  men  were  intently  listening,  as  if  expecting  to  hear 
some  preconcerted  signal. 

Meanwhile,  in  one  of  the  rooms  or  cells  of  the  round 
tower,  about  sixty  feet  above  the  level  of  the  sea,  Captain 
Littlestone,  the  missionary,  and  the  Pilot  were  engaged  in 
a  whispered  conversation,  through  which  might  be  detected 
the  dull  sound  of  an  oiled  file  working  against  iron.  The 
cell  was  ample  in  size,  but  the  stone  walls  were  without 
covering  of  any  kind.  It  was  lighted  during  the  day  by 
one  of  the  apertures  we  have  already  described ;  the 
thickness  of  the  walls  did  not  permit  the  rays  of  the  sun 
to  penetrate  to  the  interior,  and  at  the  time  of  which  we 
speak  the  apartment  was  perfectly  dark. 

"  I  should  like  to  see  the  warder,"  whispered  Willis, 
"  when  he  comes,  with  his  bundle  of  keys  and  his  night- 
cap in  his  hand,  to  wish  your  honors  good  morning,  but, 


WILLIS    THE    PILOT.  337 

in  point  of  fact,  to  see  whether  your  honors  are  in  §afe 
custody.  How  astonished  the  old  rascal  will  be !  Ho, 
ho,  ho  ! " 

"  My  good  fellow,"  said  the  missionary.  "  it  is  scarcely 
time  to  laugh  yet.  It  is  just  possible  we  may  escape ;  but 
vain  boasting  is  in  no  case  deserving  of  approbation.  It 
is,  indeed,  scarcely  consistent  with  the  dignity  of  my  cloth 
to  be  engaged  in  breaking  out  of  a  prison ;  still,  I  am  a 
man  of  peace,  and  not  a  man  of  war." 

"  No,"  said  Willis,  "  you  are  not ;  but  I  wish  to  good- 
ness you  were  a  seventy-four — under  the  right  colors,  of 
course." 

"I  was  going  to  remark,"  continued  the  missionary, 
"  that  I  am  a  man  of  peace,  and,  consequently,  do  not  think 
that  I  am  justly  entitled  to  be  treated  as  a  prisoner  of 
war.  Under  these  circumstances,  I  am,  no  doubt,  justified 
in  shaking  off  my  bonds  in  any  way  that  is  open  to  me  ; 
the  more  particularly  as  the  apostle  Paul  was  once  rescued 
from  bondage  in  a  similar  way." 

"  He  was  let  down  from  a  window  in  a  basket,  was  he 
not  ?  " 

"  Yes ;  whilst  journeying  in  the  city  of  Damascus,  the 
governor,  whose  name  was  Avetas  resolved  to  arrest  hin. 
and  accordingly  placed  sentries  at  all  the  gates.  Paul, 
however  was  permitted  to  pass  through  a  house,  the 
windows  of  which  overhung  the  walls  of  the  town, 
whence,  as  you  say,  he  was  let  down  in  a  basket,  and 
escaped."  * 

"  I  trust  your  reverence  will  be  in  much  the  same 
position  as  the  apostle,  by-and-by  —  only  you  will  have  to 
dispense  with  the  basket,"  said  Willis. 

"  I  have  no  wish  to  remain  in  bondage  longer  than  is 
absolutely  necessary,"  said  the  minister ;  "  but  there  still 
seem  difficulties  in  the  way." 

"  Yes,"  said  Willis,  plying  the  file  with  redoubled  energy, 
"this  iron  gives  me  more  bother  than  I  anticipated ;  but  it 
is  the  nature  of  iron  to  be  hard ;  however,  it  will  not  be 
long  before  we  are  all  out  of  bondage,  as  .your  reverence 
calls  it." 

*  2nd  Cor.,  xi.,  32. 
29 


338  WILLIS    THE    PILOT. 

"  May  not  the  warder  discover  our  escape,  and  raise  an 
alarm  in  time  to  retake  us  ?  "  inquired  the  missionary. 

"  No,  I  think  not,"  replied  the  captain  ;  "  thanks  to  our 
habit  of  sleeping  with  our  faces  to -the  wall,  he  will  be  de- 
ceived by  the  dummies  we  have  placed  in  the  beds,  for  he 
always  approaches  on  tip-toe  not  to  awake  us." 

"  That  may  be  for  the  first  round  ;  but  the  second  will 
assuredly  disclose  our  absence." 

"  Very  likely,"  remarked  Willis  ;  "  lie  will  then  go  right 
op  to  the  beds,  and  .shake  the  dummies  by  the  shoulders, 
and  say,  Does  your  honor  not  know  that  it  is  ten  o'clock, 
and  that  your  breakfast  is  cooling  ?  The  dummies  will, 

of  course,  not  condescend  to  reply,  and  then but  what 

matters  ?  By  that  time  we  shall  have  shaken  out  our  top- 
sail, and  pursuit  will  be  out  of  the  question.  I  should  like 
to  see  the  craft  that  will  overtake  us  when  once  we  are  a 
couple  of  miles  ahead." 

"  Poor  man  ! "  said  the  missionary,  sighing;  "our  escape 
may,  perhaps,  cost  him  his  place." 

"  No  fear  of  that,"  said  Willis  ;  "  perhaps,  at  first,  he 
will  make  an  attempt  to  tear  his  hair,  but,  as  he  wears  a 
wig,  that  will  not  do  much  mischief." 

"  I  shall,  however,  leave  my  purse  on  the  table,"  said  the 
missionary ;  "  as  it  is  tolerably  well  filled,  that  may  afford 
the  poor  fellow  some  consolation." 

•'  And  I  shall  do  the  same,"  said  the  captain. 

"  If  that  does  not  console  him  for  being  deprived  of  the 
pleasure  of  our  society,  I  do  not  know  what  will,"  observed 
Willis. 

"It  is  now  two  o'clock,"  said  the  captain,  feeling  his 
watch,  "  and  the  warder  goes  hi.s  first  rounds  at  three  ,  we 
have  therefore  just  one  hour  for  our  preparations." 

"  I  have  severed  one  bar,"  said  Willis,  "  and  the  other 
is  nearly  through  at  one  end,  so  keep  your  minds  perfectly 
at  ease." 

"  Your  patience  and  equanimity,  Willis,  does  you  infinite 
credit,"  said  the  missionary.  "  Minister  of  the  Gospel 
though  I  be,  I  fear  that  I  do  not  possess  these  qualities  to 
the  same  extent,  for,  to  confess  the  truth,  I  feel  an  inward 
-earning  to  be  free,  and  yet  am  restless  and  anxious." 


WILLIS    THli    PILOT.  335 

"  There  is  no  great  use  in  being  in  a  hurry,"  said  the 
Pilot ;  "  the  more  haste  the  less  speed,  you  know." 

'•True  ;  but  might  not  these  bars  have  been  sawn  through 
before  ?  If  this  had  been  done,  our  flight  would  have 
been,  at  least,  less  precipitate." 

"  You  forget,  Mr.  "Wolston,"  said  the  captain,  "that  we 
did  not  know  till  nine  o'clock  the  affair  was  to  come  off 
to-night." 

"  And  I  could  not  come  any  sooner  to  tell  you,"  re- 
marked the  Pilot ;  "  I  had  the  greatest  difficulty  in  the 
\vorld  to  get  in  here ;  the  maritime  commissary  would  not 
take  me  into  custody." 

"  I  forgot  to  ask  you  how  you  contrived  to  get  incar- 
cerated," observed  the  captain  ;  "  you  were  not  a  prisoner, 
and  could  not  plead  your  parole." 

"No;  and  consequently  I  had  to  plead  something  else." 

"  Willis,"  said  the  missionary,  "  the  work  you  are  en- 
gaged in  must  be  very  fatiguing,  let  me  exercise  my 
strength  upon  the  bars  for  a  short  time." 

"  If  you  like,  minister,  but  keep  the  file  well  oiled." 

"  What,  motive,  then,  did  you  urge,  Willis?"  inquired 
Captain  Littlestone. 

'• '  Mr.  Commissary,'  said  I,  '  one  of  your  frigates  cap- 
tured the  English  cutter  Nelson  some  time  ago,  but  the 
capture  was  not  complete.' 

•'  •  How  so  ?'  inquired  the  commissary. 
•     " '  Because,  Mr.  Commissary,'  said  I,  '  you  did  not  cap- 
ture the  boatswain,  and  a  British  ship  without  a  boatswain 
is  no  good ;  it  is  like  a  body  without  a  soul.' 

"'Is  that  all  you  have  to  tell  me?"  said  the  commissary, 
looking  glum. 

" '  No,'  said  I,  '  to  make  the  capture  complete,  you  have 
still  to  arrest  the  boatswain,  and  here  he  is  standing  before 
you  —  I  am  the  man  ;  but  having  been  detained  by  family 
affairs  in  the  Pacific  Ocean,  I  could  not  surrender  myself 
any  sooner.' 

"  '  And  what  do  you  want  me  to  do  with  you  ? '  said  he. 

" '  Why,  what  you  would  have  done  with  me  had  I  been 
on  board  the  Nelson,  to  be  sure.' 

" '  What !  take  you  prisoner  ?  ' 


340  WILLIS    THE    PILOT. 

" '  Yes,  commissary.' 

" '  You  wish  me  to  do  so  ?  ' 

" '  Yes,  certainly.' 

"  '  Is  it  possible  ?  ' 

"  '  Then  you  refuse  to  take  me  into  custody,  Mr.  Com- 
missary ? '  said  I. 

"  '  Yes,  positively,'  said  he;  'we  take  prisoners,  but  we 
do  not  accept  them  when  offered.' 

"  '  Then  you  will  not  allow  me  to  join  my  captain  in  his 
adversity  ? ' 

"  'Your  captain  is  as  great  a  fool  as  yourself,'  said  he  ; 
'he  need  not  have  gone  to  prison  unless  he  liked.' 

"  '  That  was  a  matter  of  taste  on  his  part,  Mr.  Commis- 
sary, but  is  a  matter  of  duty  on  mine.' " 

"  This  bar  is  nearly  through,"  whispered  the  missionary. 

"  There  is  no  time  to  be  lost,"  said  the  captain  ;  "  the 
warder  will  be  round  in  a  quarter  of  an  hour." 

"  Well,"  continued  Willis,  "  the  commissary  began  to 
get  angry,  he  rose  up,  and  was  about  to  leave  the  room, 
when  I  placed  myself  resolutely  before  him. 

"'  Sir,'  said  I,  'one  word  more — you  know  the  French 
laws  ;  be  good  enough  to  tell  me  what  crime  will  most 
surely  and  most  promptly  send  me  to  prison.' 

"  '  Oh,  there  are  plenty  of  them,'  said  he,  laughing. 

" '  Well,  commissary,'  says  I,  '  suppose  I  knock  you 
down  here  on  the  spot,  will  that  do  ?  " 

"  Was  that  not  going  a  little  too  far,  Willis  ?" 

"  What  could  I  do  ?  The  ship  was  all  ready,  everybody 
on  board  but  yourselves,  circumstances  were  pressing,  and 
you  know  I  would  have  floored  him  as  gently  as  possible." 

At  this  moment  the  bar  yielded.  To  the  end  of  a  piece 
of  twine,  which  Willis  had  rolled  round  his  body,  a  piece 
of  stone  was  attached ;  this  he  let  down  till  it  touched  the 
water,  and  then  the  caw  of  a  crow  rang  through  the  air. 

"  That  was  a  very  good  imitation,  Willis,"  said  the 
captain.  "  You  did  not  break  any  of  the  commissary's 
bones,  did  you  ?  " 

"  No  ;  the  threat  was  quite  sufficient ;  he  would  not 
yield  to  my  prayers,  but  he  yielded  to  my  impudence,  and 
ordered  me  into  custody.  At  first,  however,  I  was  thrust 


WILLIS    THK    PILOT.  841 

^ 

into  an  underground  cell;  but  I  obtained,  or  rather  my 
louis  obtained  for  me,  permission  to  chum  with  you  ;  and, 
by  the  way,  what  a  frightful  staircase  I  had  to  mount ! 
that  more  than  any  tiling  else,  obliges  us  to  get  down  by 
the  window." 

Willis,  who  continued  to  hold  one  end  of  the  cord,  at 
the  sound  of  a  whistle  drew  it  up,  and  found  attached  to 
the  other  end  a  stout  rope  ladder.  This  he  made  fast  to 
the  bars  of  the  window  that  still  remained  intact.  At  the 
request  of  the  minister,  all  three  then  fell  upon  their 
knees  and  uttered  a  short  prayer.  Immediately  after, 
Wolston  went  out  of  the  window  and  began  to  descend, 
the  captain  followed,  and  Willis  brought  up  the  rear.  AH 
three  were  cautiously  progressing  downwards,  when  the 
missionary  called  out  he  had  forgotten  to  forget  his 
purse. 

"  I  have  made  the  same  omission,"  said  the  captain ; 
"  hand  yours  up,  Wolston." 

The  missionary  accordingly  held  up  his  with  one  hand 
whilst  he  held  on  the  ladder  with  the  other.  The  captain 
bent  down  to  take  it,  but  found  he  could  not  reach  it  with- 
out endangering  his  equilibrium.  They  both  made  some 
desperate  efforts  to  accomplish  the  feat,  but  the  thing  was 
impossible. 

"  I  see  no  help  for  it,"  said  the  missionary,  "  but  to 
ascend  all  three  again." 

"  That  is  awkward,"  said  the  captain. 

"  Gentlemen,"  said  Willis,  "  three  o'clock  is  striking  on 
the  prison  clock ;  the  warder  will  be  round  in  two  minutes." 

"  God  sometimes  permits  good  actions  to  go  un- 
rewarded" said  the  missionary ;  "but  he  never  punishet 
them." 

"  Let  us  re-ascend,  then,"  said  the  captain. 

"  So  be  it,"  said  Willis,  going  upwards. 

They  had  scarcely  time  to  re-enter  the  cell  before  they 
heard  the  sound  of  steps  and  the  clank  of  keys  in  the  cor- 
ridor. The  steps  discontinued  at  their  door,  and  a  key 
was  thrust  into  the  lock. 

"  What  is  the  matter  ?  "  cried  the  captain  from  his  bed, 
as  the  gaoler  thrust  his  head  inside  the  door. 
29* 


342  WILLIS   THE   PILOT. 

I 

"  Why,"  said  the  warder,  "  I  heard  a  noise,  and  thought 
that  your  honor  might  be  ill." 

"  Thank  you  for  your  attention,  Ambroise,"  replied  the 
captain,  in  a  half  sleepy  tone ;  "  but  you  have  been 
deceived,  we  are  all  quite  well." 

"  Entirely  so,"  added  the  missionary. 

"  All  right  old  fellow !  "  cried  Willis,  with  a  yawn. 

This  triple  affirmation,  which  assured  him,  not  only  of 
the  health,  but  also  of  the  custody  of  his  prisoners,  seemed 
satisfactory  to  the  gaoler. 

"  I  am  sorry  to  have  awoke  your  honors,"  said  he,  as 
he  withdrew  his  head  and  relocked  the  door ;  "  it  must 
have  been  in  the  room  overhead." 

"  Good  ?  "  said  Willis,  "  the  old  rascal  expects  nothing/' 

Two  well-lined  purses  were  laid  on  the  table,  and  in  a 
few  minutes  more  the  three  men  resumed  their  position 
on  the  ladder  in  the  same  order  as  before.  They  arrived 
safely  in  the  boat,  where  they  were  cordially  welcomed  by 
Fritz  and  Jack.  The  men  were  then  ordered  to  pull  for 
their  lives  to  the  ship,  which  they  did  with  a  hearty  will. 
The  instant  they  stepped  on  board  the  anchor  was 
weighed,  and  when  morning  broke  not  a  vestige  of  the 
old  tower  of  Havre  de  Grace  was  anywhere  to  be  seen. . 

"Why,"  exclaimed  the  captain,  looking  about  him  with 
an  air  of  astonishment,  "  this  is  my  own  vessel ! " 

"  Yes,  captain,"  said  Willis,  touching  his  cap,  "  and  I 
am  its  boatswain  or  pilot,  whichever  your  honor  chooses 
to  call  me." 

"  But  how  did  you  obtain  possession  of  her?" 

"  By  right  of  purchase  she  belongs  to  our  friends, 
Masters  Fritz  and  Jack,  but  they  have  agreed  to  waive 
their  claim,  providing  you  proceed  with  them  to  New 
Switzerland." 

"  I  agree  most  willingly  to  these  conditions,"  said 
Captain  Littlestone,  addressing  the  two  brothers,  "  the 
more  so  that  my  destination  was  Sydney  when  the  Nelson 
was  captured." 

",In  the  meantime,  captain,"  said  Fritz,  "my  brother 
and  I  have  to  request  that  you  will  resume  the  command, 
and  treat  us  as  passengers." 


WILLIS    THE    PILOT.  843 

"  Thank  you,  my  friends,  thank  you.  Willis,  are  all  the 
old  crew  on  board  ?  " 

"  All  that  were  in  Havre,  your  honor ;  I  commissioned 
Bill  Stubbs  to  pick  them  up,  and  he  managed  to  smuggle 
them  all  on  board." 

"  Then  pipe  all  hands  on  deck." 

"  Aye,  aye,  captain,"  said  Willis,  sounding  his  whistle. 

When  the  men  were  mustered,  Littlestone  made  a  short 
speech  to  them,  told  them  that  they  would  receive  pay 
for  the  time  they  had  been  in  the  enemy's  power,  and 
inquired  whether  they  were  all  willing  to  continue  the 
voyage  under  his  command.  This  question  was  responded 
to  by  a  general  assent. 

"  Then,"  he  continued,  turning  to  Willis,  "  the  share 
you  have  had  in  the  rescue  of  the  Nelson  and  its  crew, 
conjointly  with  my  interest  at  the  Admiralty,  will,  I  have 
not  the  slightest  doubt,  obtain  for  you  the  well-merited 
rank  of  lieutenant  of  his  Majesty's  navy.  I  have,  there- 
fore, to  request  that  you  will  assume  that  position  on 
board  during  the  voyage,  until  confirmed  by  the  arrival 
of  your  commission." 

<l  Thank  your  honor,"  said  Willis,  bowing. 

"  And  now,  lieutenant,  you  will  be  kind  enough  to  rate 
William  Stubbs  on  the  books  as  boatswain." 

"  Aye,  aye,  captain,"  said  Willis,  handing  his  whistle  to 
Bill. 

"  Pipe  to  breakfast."  said  the  captain. 

"  Aye,  aye,  sir,"  replied  the  new  boatswain,  sounding 
the  whistle. 

"  By  the  way,"  said  Littlestone,  turning  to  Jack,  "I  do 
not  see  the  surgeon  you  spoke  of  on  board.  How  is  this?" 

"  He  is  on  board  for  all  that,"  said  Jack,  drawing  an 
official  looking  document  out  of  his  pocket;  "be  kind 
enough  to  read  that." 

The  captain  accordingly  read  as  follows :  — 

"  Havre,  \bth   October,  1812. 

"  This  is  to  certify  that  Mr.  Jack  Becker  has,  for  some 
time,  been  a  student  in  the  hospitals  of  this  town,  and  that 
he  has  auccessfully  passed  through  a  stringent  examination 


344  WILLIS    THE    PILOT. 

as  to  his  acquaintance  with  the  diagnosis  and  cure  of 
various  diseases;  as  also  as  to  his  knowledge  of  the  prac- 
tice of  physic  and  surgery  generally. 

"  He  has  specially  directed  his  attention  to  the  treat- 
ment of  cancer,  and  has  performed  several  operations  for 
the  eradication  of  that  malady  to  the  satisfaction  of  the 
surgeon  in  chief  and  my  own. 

(Signed)         "  GARAY  DE  NEVRES,  M.  D., 

"  Inspector  of  the  Hospitals". 

This  document  was  countersigned,  sealed,  and  stamped 
by  the  mayor,  the  prefect,  and  other  authorities  of  the 
department. 

*4  How  have  you  contrived  to  obtain  so  satisfactory  a 
certificate  in  so  short  a  period  ?  "  inquired  the  captain. 

"  I  was  introduced  to  the  chief  surgeon  by  the  medical 
man  on  board  the  Boudeu-se.  I  stated  my  position  to  him, 
and,  probably,  he  threw  facilities  in  my  way  of  obtaining 
the  object  I  had  in  view  that  were,  perhaps,  rarely  accorded 
to  others.  All  the  cases  of  cancer,  for  example,  were 
placed  under  my  care ;  I  had,  therefore,  an  opportunity 
of  observing  a  great  many  phases  and  varieties  of  that 
disease." 

"  Are  you  determined  to  follow  up  the  profession  of 
surgery,  then?" 

u  Yes,  captain ;  I  have  shipped  a  medicine  chest  on 
board,  a  complete  assortment  of  instruments,  and  a  col- 
lection of  English,  French,  and  German  medical  works. 
It  is  my  intention  to  make  myself  thoroughly  familiar 
with  the  theory  of  the  science,  and  trust  to  chance  for 
practice." 

"  Then  allow  me,  Mr.  Becker,  to  rate  you  as  surgeon  of 
the  Nelson  for  the  outward  voyage.  Will  you  accept  the 
office?" 

"  With  pleasure,  Captain ;  but,  at  the  same  time,  I  trust 
there  will  be  no  occasion  to  exercise  my  skill." 

"  No  one  can  say  what  may  happen ;  disease  turns  up 
where  it  is  least  expected.  Lieutenant,"  he  added,  turning 
to  Willis,  "  be  kind  enough  to  rate  Mr.  Becker  on  the 
ship's  books  as  surgeon." 


WILLIS   THE    PILOT.  345 

"  Aye,  Aye,  sir." 

Meantime  the  Nelson  was  making  her  way  rapidly 
along  the  French  coa<t,  and  had  already  crossed  the  Bay  of 
Biscay.  The  Nelson  behaved  herself  admirably,  and  took 
to  her  new  gear  with  excellent  grace.  All  was  going  mer- 
rily as  a  marriage  bell.  They  did  not  now  run  very  much 
risk  of  cruisers,  as  Fritz  had  French  papers  perfectly  en 
regie,  and  Captain  Littlestone  would  have  had  little  diffi- 
culty to  prove  his  identity ;  besides,  the  speed  of  the  Nel- 
son was  sufficient  to  secure  their  safety  in  cases  where 
danger  was  to  be  apprehended. 

One  night,  about  four  bells  (ten  o'clock),  when  Willis 
was  lazily  lolling  in  his  hammock,  doubtless  ruminating 
on  his  newly-acquired  dignity,  his  cabin-door  gradually 
opened,  and  the  captain  entered.  Willis  stared  at  first, 
thinking  he  might  have  something  important  to  communi- 
cate, but  he  only  muttered  something  about  a  cloud  gather- 
ing in  the  west.  This  was  too  much  for  Willis ;  it  resem- 
bled his  former  meditations  so  vividly,  that  he  leaped  out 
of  his  hammock,  seized  Littlestone  by  the  collar,  and 
called  loudly  for  Fritz  and  Jack. 

"  It  is  not  very  respectfull,  captain,  to  handle  you  in 
this  way  ;  but  the  case  is  urgent,  and  I  should  like  to  have 
the  mystery  cleared  up." 

The  two  brothers,  when  they  entered  the  cabin,  beheld 
Willis  holding  the  captain  tightly  in  his  arms. 

"  I  have  caught  him  at  last,  you  see,"  said  the  Pilot. 

"  So  it  would  appear,"  observed  Jack ;  "  but  are  you 
not  aware  the  captain  is  asleep  ?  " 

And  so  it  was.  Littlestone  had  walked  from  his  own 
cabin  to  that  of  Willis  in  a  state  of  somnambulism. 

"What  is  the  matter?"  inquired  the  latter,  when  he 
became  conscious  of  his  position. 

"  Nothing  is  the  matter,  captain,"  replied  Jack,  "  only 
you  have  been  walking  in  your  sleep." 

"  Ah  —  yes  —  it  must  be  so  !  "  exclaimed  Littlestone, 
gazing  about  him  with  a  troubled  air.  "  Have  I  not  paid 
you  a  visit  of  this  kind  before,  Willis  ?  " 

"  Yes,  often." 

"  Where  ?  " 


346  WILLIS    THE    PILOT. 

" On  board  the  Boudeuse" 

"That  must  have  been  the  craft  I  was  tranferred  to, 
then,  after  the  capture  of  the  Nelson.  Just  call  Mr.  Wol 
ston,  and  let  us  have  the  matter  explained." 

On  comparing  notes,  it  appeared  that  the  captain  and 
the  missionary  had  been  on  board  the  Boudeuse.  Both 
had  been  ill,  and  both  had  been  closely  confined  to  their 
cabin  during  the  entire  voyage,  partly  on  account  of  their 
being  prisoners  of  war,  and  partly  on  account  of  their  ill- 
ness. On  one  occasion,  but  on  one  only,  the  captain  had 
escaped  from  his  cabin  during  the  night.  Willis  might, 
therefore,  have  seen  him  once,  but  that  he  had  seen  him 
oftener  was  only  a  dream. 

"  It  appears,  then,"  said  Littlestone,  "  that  my  illness 
has  left  this  unfortunate  tendency  to  sleep-walking.  I 
shall,  therefore,  place  myself  in  your  hands,  Master  Jack ; 
perhaps  you  may  be  able  to  chase  it  away." 

"  I  will  do  my  best,  captain ;  and  I  think  I  may  venture 
to  promise  a  cure." 

Willis  was  sorry  for  the  captain's  sleeplessness,  but  he 
was  glad  that  the  mystery  hanging  over  them  both  had 
been  so  far  cleared  up.  His  visions  and  dreams  had  been 
a  source  of  constant  annoyance  to  him  ;  but  now  that  their 
origin  had  been  discovered,  he  felt  that  henceforward  he 
might  sleep  in  peace. 

After  a  rapid  run,  the  sloop  cast  anchor  off  the  Cape. 
Here  Captain  Littlestone  reported  himself  to  the  com- 
mander on  the  station,  and  received  fresh  papers.  He 
also  sent  off  a  despatch  to  the  Lords  of  the  Admiralty,  in 
which  he  reported  the  capture  and  rescue  of  his  ship.  He 
informed  them  that  his  own  escape  and  that  of  the  crew 
was  entirely  owing  to  the  tact  and  daring  of  Willis,  the 
boatswain,  whom,  in  consequence,  he  had  nominated  his 
second  in  command,  vice  Lieutenant  Dunsford,  deceased 
the  appointment  subject,  of  course,  to  their  lordship's  ap- 
proval. 

Willis  wrote  a  long  letter  to  his  wife,  informing  her  of 
his  expected  promotion,  adding  that,  in  a  year  or  so  after 
the  receipt  of  his  commission,  he  should  retire  on  half-pay, 
and  then  emigrate  to  a  delightful  country,  where  he  had 


WILLIS    THE    PILOT.  347 

been  promised  a  vast  estate.  He  said  that,  probably,  he 
should  have  an  entire  island  to  himself,  and  possibly  have 
the  command  of  the  fleet ;  but  he  thought  it  as  well  to  say 
nothing  about  tigers,  sharks,  and  chimpanzees. 

The  missionary  also  wrote  to  England,  relinquishing 
his  charge  in  South  Africa,  and  requesting  a  mission 
amongst  the  benighted  inhabitants  of  the  Pacific  Ocean, 
where  he  stated  he  was  desirous  of  settling  for  family 
reasons,  and  where  besides,  he  said,  he  would  have  a  wider 
and  equally  interesting  field  for  his  labors. 

The  two  brothers  found  at  the  Cape  a  large  sum  of 
money  at  their  disposal ;  this,  however,  they  had  now  no 
immediate  use  for ;  they,  consequently,  left  it  to  await  the 
arrival  of  Frank  and  Ernest,  who,  in  all  probability,  would 
return  with  the  Nelson. 

The  arrangements  made,  the  Nelson  was  fully  armed 
and  manned,  an  ample  supply  of  stores  and  ammunition 
was  shipped,  the  mails  in  Sydney  were  taken  on  board, 
and  the  sloop  resumed  her  voyage. 


CONCLUSION. 

THRKE  months  after  leaving  the  Cape,  the  coast  of  New 
Switzerland  was  telegraphed  from  the  mast  head  by  Bill 
Stubbs.  A  gun  was  immediately  fired,  and  towards  even- 
ing the  Nehon  entered  Safety  Bay.  Fritz,  Jack,  Captain 
Littlestone,  the  missionary,  and  WilUs,  were  all  standing 
on  de*ck,  eagerly  scanning  the  shore. 

"  There  is  father!"  cried  Jack,  "armed  with  a  telescope  ; 
and  now  I  see  Frank  and  Mrs.  Wolston." 

"  There  comes  Mr.  Wolston  and  Master  Ernest,"  cried 
Willis,  "  as  usual,  a  little  behind." 

"  But  I  see  nothing  of  my  mother  and  the  young  ladies ! " 
said  Fritz. 

"  Very  odd,"  said  Captain  Littlestone,  sweeping  the  hori- 
zon with  his  glass  "I  can  see  nothing  of  them  either." 

A  horrible  apprehension  here  glided  into  the  hearts  of 
the  young  men.  They  knew  well  that,  had  their  mother 
been  able,  she  would  have  been  the  first  to  welcome  them 
home.  Perhaps,  under  the  inspiration  of  despair,  their 
lips  were  opening  to  deny  the  mercy  of  that  Providence 
which  had  hitherto  so  remarkably  befriended  them,  when 
at  a  great  distance,  and  scarcely  perceptible  to  the  naked 
eye,  they  descried  three  figures  advancing  slowly  towards 
the  shore. 

One  of  these  forms  was  Mrs.  Becker,  who  was  leaning 
upon  the  arms  of  Mary  and  Sophia  Wolston. 

"  God  be  thanked,  we  are  still  in  time,"  cried  Fritz  and 
Jack. 

A  loud  cheer,  led  by  Willis,  then  rent  the  air.  Half  tin 
hour  after,  the  two  young  men  leaped  on  shore ;  they  did 
not  stay  to  shake  hands  with  their  father  and  brothers,  but 
ran  on  to  where  their  mother  stood.  It  was  a  long  time 
before  they  could  utter  a  syllable  ;  the  greeting  of  the 


WILLIS  THK  PILOT.  349 

mother  and  her  children  was  too  affectionate  to  be  ex- 
pressed in  words. 

Next  morning,  at  daybreak,  preparations  for  a  serious 
operation  were  made  in  Mrs.  Becker's  room.  The  entire 
colony  was  in  a  state  of  intense  excitement,  and  an  air  of 
anxiety  was  imprinted  on  every  countenance.  In  the 
room  itself  the  wing  of  a  fly  could  have  Been  heard,  so 
breathless  was  the  silence  that  prevailed.  The  patient's 
eyes  had  been  bandaged,  under  pretext  of  concealing  from 
her  sight  the  surgical  instruments  and  preparations  for  the 
operation.  The  real  design,  however,  was  to  hide  the 
operator,  whom  Mrs.  Becker  supposed  to  be  an  expert 
practitioner  from  Europe  ;  for  it  was  not  thought  advisable 
that  a  mother's  anxieties  should  be  superadded  to  the 
patient's  sufferings. 

At  the  moment  of  trial  the  few  persons  present  had  sunk 
on  their  knee> ;  Jack  alone  remained  standing  at  the  bed- 
side of  his  mother.  The  Jack  of  the  past  had  entirely 
disappeared ;  he  was  somewhat  pale,  very  grave,  but 
collected,  firm,  and  resolute.  It  was,  perhaps,  the  first 
instance  on  record  of  a  son  being  called  upon  to  lacerate 
the  body  of  his  mother.  But  the  moment  that  God  im- 
posed such  a  task  upon  one  of  His  creatures,  it  is  God 
himself  that  becomes  the  operator. 

When,  some  days  after,  Mrs.  Becker  —  calm,  radiant, 
and  saved  —  requested  to  see  and  thank  her  deliverer,  it 
was  Jack  who  presented  himself.  If  she  had  known  this 
sooner,  it  would,  most  undoubtedly,  have  augmented  her 
terror,  and  increased  the  fever.  As  it  was,  it  redoubled 
her  thankfulness,  and  hastened  her  recovery. 

Frank  and  Ernest  embarked  on  board  the  Nelson  when 
she  returned  to  New  Switzerland  on  her  way  to  Europe. 
Two  years  afterwards,  the  former  returned  in  the  capacity 
of  a  minister  of  the  Church  of  England,  bringing  with  him 
a  sufficient  number  of  men,  women,  and  children  to  furnish 
a  respectable  congregation ;  and  it  was  rumored,  though 
with  what  degree  of  truth  I  will  not  venture  to  say,  that 
one  of  the  young  lady  passengers  in  the  ship  was  his  des- 
tined bride.  Ernest  remained  some  years  in  Europts, 
partly  to  consolidate  relations  between  the  colony  and  the 
30 


350  WILLIS    THB   PILOT. 

mother  country,  and  partly  with  a  view  to  realize  his  pet 
project  of  establishing  an  observatory  in  New  Switzerland. 

Willis,  instead  of  being  suspended  at  the  yard-arm  as 
he  had  insisted  on  prognosticating,  received  his  lieutenancy 
in  due  course,  accompanied  by  a  highly  flattering  letter 
from  the  Lords  of  the  Admiralty,  thanking  him,  in  the 
name  of  the  captain  and  crew  of  the  Nelson,  for  his  exer- 
tions in  their  behalf.  As  soon,  however,  as  peace  was 
proclaimed,  he  retired  on  half-pay,  and,  with  his  wife  and 
daughter,  emigrated  to  Oceania.  He  assumed  his  old  post 
of  admiral  on  Shark's  Island,  where  a  commodious  house 
had  been  erected.  We  must  premise,  at  the  same  time, 
that  to  his  honorary  duties  as  admiral,  conjoined  the  hum- 
bler, but  not  less  useful,  offices  of  lighthouse  keeper,  man- 
ager of  the  fisheries,  and  harbor-master. 

As  a  country  grows  rich,  and  advances  in  prosperity,  it 
rarely,  if  ever,  happens  that  the  sum  of  human  life  becomes 
happier  or  better.  It  is,  therefore,  not  without  regret  we 
learn  that  gold  has  been  discovered  in  a  land  so  highly 
favored  by  nature  in  other  respects ;  for,  if  such  be  the 
case,  then  adieu  to  the  peace  and  tranquillity  its  inhabitants 
have  hitherto  enjoyed.  The  colony  will  soon  be  overrun 
with  Chinamen,  American  adventurers,  and  ticket-of-leave 
convicts.  Farewell  to  the  kindliness  and  hospitality  of  the 
community,  for  they  will  inevitably  be  deluged  with  the 
refuse  of  the  old,  and  also,  alas  !  of  the  new  world. 


THK    END. 


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